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OLD GLORY AND THE~ GOSPE~L IN
THE~ PHILIPPINE~S










_ __ ~


Old      Glo r y
and the Gospel
in the Philippines
NOTES GATHERED DURING PROFESSIONAL  AND  MISSIONARY  WORK
BY
ALICE BYRAM CONDICT, M. D.


Fleming H. Revell Company
Chicago::  New  York::  Toronto
1902


-- - ----





COPYRIGHT, xgoi,
BY FLEM[NG H.
R EVELL COMPANY





PREFATORY NOTE.


Alice Byram Condict, M. D., author of "Old
Glory and the Gospel in the Philippines," is a descendant of "Priscilla and John Alden," and also
of Jonathan Dickinson, first President of the Princeton College. Her Puritan blood impels her to
believe in liberty of conscience, and in having the
Bible, the word of God, in the homes of the people,
and this will give the coloring to her treatment of
the Friar Question and the need of Protestant missions in the Philippine Islands.
Dr. Condict has had an extensive experience in
her profession both in America and in India. In
the latter country her practice took her among the
poorest and among the highest, even into the Zenanas of His Highness the Nizam of Hyderabad. All
this fits her eminently to observe resemblances and
contrasts, and to moralize on the great questions of
the Orient as represented in the Philippine Islands.
During 1899 she worked among the famine sufferers of India, then came to Manila for rest and
recuperation. Soon after her arrival here she felt
impelled to write of what she saw, heard and felt.
5





6


PREFATORY NOTE


At first it was not in her thought to make a book;
but her interest grew as she studied the various and
intricate problems which present themselves here,
and the book which she now offers to the public is
the outcome.
This book will enable the American public to see
the Philippine Islands through the eyes of a cultured, Christian American lady, who has been in
the very heart of the beginnings of Protestantism
in the Philippine Islands, and who, because of her
profession, has seen the inner home life of the Filipino people.
The story of the organization of the "Evangelical
Union" told in the last chapter of this book marks
a movement in the comity of missions in advance
of anything ever before known on any mission field.
When the Union was consummated a holy awe and
joy took possession of us, with a consciousness that
a great and far-reaching work had been accomplished. I heartily commend this book to the American reading public.
BISHOP FRANK W. WARNE,
Methodist Episcopal Bishop of India, Malaysia and the Philippine Islands.
Manila, May r, I9oI.





CONTENTS.
PAGE.
INTRODUCTION.......................   II
I. THE FIRST VIEW OF MANILA............ 19
II. NIPA SHACKS........................... 30
III.  OLD  M ANILA..........................  36
IV. THE RULE OF ROME................... 48
V. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.................... 62
VI. THE RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT OF THE FEDERAL PARTY OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 76
VII. WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY-I90I AN ERA
IN FILIPINO HISTORY................. 87
VIII. MORE VISITS TO THE PROVINCES......... 94
IX. DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE................... 103
X. THE FIRST FRUIT OF AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY................................I










LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


PAGE
The crowded condition of the Pasig River at Manila.... 21
First view of Manila-The Spanish Bridge over Pasig
River............................................. 23
The Nipa Shack where the first cottage prayer-meeting
was held.......................................... 30
Two Pickaninnies.................................... 33
A street in old Manila............................. 36
One of the ten gates of Old Manila, showing moat and
bridge...........................................  37
The  Cathedral in  old  Manila........................... 39
All that remains of a Romish church which was destroyed
by Filipinos..................................... 64
Sefior Augustin de la Rosa and family.................... 79
The Meeting of the Filipinos on the Luneta, where Reizal
was shot-This meeting in honor of Washington's
birthday........................................ go
Women washing clothes on the river banks............. 95
The Diversity of People-An Igorrote Warrior.......... 105
Ladrones (robbers)................................  6
Giving gospels to the Insurrecto prisoners of war in Fort
Santiago, Manila, April and May, 9go..............17
Rev. Leonard P. Davidson, deceased, Manila, P. I.......12o
Mr. Davidson telling the good news.....................122










INTRODUCTION


Don't read this introduction unless you are middle-aged and have some gray hairs, for, if you are
very young, I'm sure you won't care for this retrospect; so be advised and skip it.
It is likely, however, you do the things you are
advised not to do. In that case, be you studious or
fond of pastimes, I crave your loving sympathy
toward the people and land Old Glory has lately
been fostering. You may linger a moment to get
a glimpse of the ways in which past history has
been standing at the helm, guiding the "ships of
state" into unknown seas. Our "ship of state" has
had such guiding of late, for that our glorious old
flag has come to the Philippine Islands to stay is a
settled fact. The much vexed question is answered,
and that almost without our realizing the why and
wherefore.
Certainly when the order from Washington was
issued that Admiral Dewey should find the Spanish
fleet guarding the Philippine Islands, and destroy
it, the measure was simply one of forethought, for
we fully expected Spain to wreak vengeance on our
II





12


INTRODUCTION


seaport towns, and the sooner we put that SpanishPhilippine fleet out of the way, the nearer to security
we should feel while we were getting matters settled
in Cuba.
Let us glance at the movements of God in history. Most interesting it is to study the past, and
from its pages read the story of how the centers
of commerce and civilization have moved on from
time to time. In a voluminous but most fascinating
book, "The Expansion of England," we have some
eye-openers, which it is a privilege to consider. In
the school of Carl Rueter much has been said of
three stages of civilization determined by geographical conditions. "The Potamic," which clings to
rivers; "The Thalassic," which grows up around
inland seas; and lastly, "The Oceanic." This theory looks as if it had been suggested by the change
which followed the discovery of the New World.
When indeed European civilization passed from
the "Thalassic" to the "Oceanic" stage, till then
trade and civilization had clung to the Mediterranean Sea. Till then the ocean had been a limit, a
boundary, not a pathway. Italy reaped the benefit
of the Thalassic period. The Romans seemed to
have a natural superiority over the countries about
them and those north of the Alps. Her great circuit of sea coast was the greatest secret. Around





INTRODUCTION


13


the Mediterranean Sea centered all civilization until
Columbus and the Portuguese altered all this by
substituting the Atlantic Ocean for the Mediterranean Sea as the highway of commerce. From that
moment the reign of Italy was over. True, Italy,
shortly after, became a vast battle-field in the great
struggle of France and Spain; but Italy would have
declined had no such battles occurred. The hidden
source which fed her energy and glory was dried
up by the discovery of the New World.
The Mediterranean Sea had not receded, but it
had lost once fot all the character which it had
had almost from the days of the Odyssey. It had
ceased to be the central sea of human intercourse
and civilization, the chief, nay almost the one sea
of history. "So clearly had the providential edict
gone forth that European civilization should cease
to be Thalassic and should become Oceanic." "Civilization was shifting its headquarters."
Up to the time of Columbus' discovery, Spain,
Portugal, France, Holland, and, most markedly of
all, England, had been second-class nations; but
how quickly they became actively engaged in the
struggle for the New World and assumed prominent places in dealing with vast problems of conquest, colonization and commerce, while before this
they had vegetated in a rustic monotony. Now the





14


INTRODUCTION


countries bordering on the Atlantic find its waters
their civilizing agency.
The civilization of the Thalassic age was, like its
inland sea, small in comparison to the surging
ocean. So the civilization of the Oceanic period
took on vast proportions. Like the Ocean, its pathway, its ventures were vast, its progress more marvelous than, and different from any past history.
Our continent has developed into a mighty governmental power. The railroads, which thickly interlace the entire surface and bind the East to the
West, taking population to every part, and developing every mile of country, have been a mighty
agency in all this progress.
But still the ancient Potamic influences are felt
in the opening of our country by its rivers. Our
Great Lakes have also taken the part of inland seas
(Thalassic), till all is occupied by teeming millions
from every part of the globe. The United States
as a nation has grown so prosperous that in our
great cities we are almost fearful of effeminacy
from the luxuries that are ours.
Salvation from super-civilization lies in the restless Anglo-Saxon blood that always moves on,
guided by the unseen Almighty God. We were
prompted in 1898 by sympathy and education to
rescue those of our less fortunate neighbors from





INTRODUCTION


15


oppression and tyranny. In doing this we are led
further than we dreamed. Even the oppressors
forge a link in the chain of circumstances that
stirred the American nation to deeds of valor in
the sinking of the Maine. From the North to the
South, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the excitement aroused by the indignity done to our navy
was intense. The people's cry of agony was in the
high key of the infuriated. President McKinley,
in his calm attitude of waiting to obtain absolute
evidence of the murderous intents of our host, for
whose land we had only the most benevolent intentions, was urged to plunge at once into war. Can
we forget those days of suspense? But our statesman at the helm could not be hurried. How characteristic of our late and much lamented President
McKinley was his attitude in those days of waiting.
The silence in the White House was golden. Full
time was given to investigate before our nation was
allowed to become involved in war. Mr. McKinley
coolly weighed every detail. He seemed to be thinking of his duty to the Spaniards while the impulse of
the people was their annihilation. Every test, however, failed to exonerate the cowardly government
that alike crushed its own subjects and murdered
those who came to pour balm on their wounds. The
great Republic that had such fathers as Washing




16


INTRODUCTION


ton and Lincoln could not in the name of humanity
prevent the will of the people from being carried
out.
War was inevitable. First, to satisfy our responsibility to those crying to us for aid and to
show that dishonor done our navy could not remain
unpunished, war was declared. When once launched
into war, we were bound to finish what had been
begun. As has already been said, to protect our
shores from invasion by the reputed powerful Spanish navy, the order was given to destroy the Spanish-Philippine ships which might menace our seaports. The command was carried out; and in doing
so, instead of sinking a few Spanish ships, the chain
of events ended in the taking of Manila, and eventually the islands whose capital had already surrendered. Thus it has come about that in point of
center of area, our Pacific Coast becomes the center
of dominion. The Atlantic Ocean, whose waters
have for the past four hundred years been fulfilling
the high edicts of the Almighty God in carrying civilization from the East to the West, is still in its
zenith of usefulness. The "ocean greyhounds" and
massive freight vessels are increasing year by year,
but still there is a moving westward. Now the
Pacific Ocean, whose extent is possibly double that
of the Atlantic, is about to take its part, as never





INTRODUCTION


17


before, in the world-civilization that still remains
to be accomplished.
How wondrous the march of events that quickly
follow the coming of Old Glory to the East-in the
movement of China to drive from its shores the
civilizing and Christianizing influences that have
begun to be felt. The fortresses and pagodas of
that ancient chrysalis are shaken by the firing of the
ponderous guns of the Boxers. They awake from
the long sleep of heathenism. All nations gather as
by magic to storm the ancient capital. We rest
assured that the resistless forces far above all petty
human avarice and self-aggrandizement are only a
small factor in the case. The divinely ordained
forces are bound to be victorious. The Christianizing and consequently civilizing of those great peoples, the Chinese and Thibetans, are in the near
future. The Pacific Ocean is now well under way
towards fulfilling its destiny to bring to these ancient lands the Christianity, the civilization and
commerce that will put warm blood into their veins.
The United States has acquired more than a coaling
station, for which practical use someone at first
suggested the Philippine Islands were destined.
How grand to be living in such a time, and have
ever so small a part in the great train of providences
now being carried out.





INTRODUCTION


The new century is inaugurated in its mission of
enlightening the Far East, as China and Thibet are
often called; and we of the United States have become a factor in the working out of problems so
rapidly to be solved. Surely Old Glory should feel
quite in its element in the East, standing always for
liberty of conscience and advancement of civilization.
Our United States, with the two greatest oceans
of the world as its highway for commerce and civilization, is on the threshold of its greatest era of
prosperity.
This little book goes on its mission of loveclothed in the simplest dress-having no literary
merit, but with the endeavor to show who our wards
are, something of their past history, and why Old
Glory has a mission to meet their necessities, the first
fruits having already ripened. All matters relating
to business possibilities, or information regarding
trade, have been utterly ignored, as others are treating of these important matters most comprehensively.





CHAPTER I.


THE FIRST VIEW OF MANILA.
During the long voyage across the Pacific Ocean,
one slowly comes under the influence of tropical
seas, and we find ourselves losing something of our
American energy, so characteristic of those born
and bred in northern latitudes.
We are surely wafting to the softer influences
that insensibly relax to less activity.
This does not, however, mean that we have become depreciated in aim or power to achieve, but
that we must yield to the inevitable law in these
latitudes of less physical exertion.
Happy the American who quickly learns this lesson, and thus conserves his vitality.
By yielding gracefully he will not find the climate
so difficult to endure.
A long and happy service awaits the wise philosopher who does not force himself to live a northern
mode of life near the equator.
By the time we have turned from the Southern
China Sea into Manila Bay, we are fully under these
softer influences, and are scanning the horizon for
19





20     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
the tropical vegetation that accords with these summer breezes.
In vain we search the water line with the best of
sea glasses, hoping we may be the fortunate passenger who will first discover the metropolis of our
hopes and fears.
We can scarcely realize this is Manila Bay, for
its expanse of twenty-five miles seems more like
an inland sea.
It is late afternoon, and the languid air makes
all nature slow of pulse. Flying fish with their silver glitter hover like birds above the waves, playing
in sheer love of sunshine and limpid water. Upon
our approach a great brown sea turtle, that is
basking in the sun on the surface, swiftly plies his
feet-like paddles and disappears in the watery
depths.
To our right by aid of our glasses we distinguish
Cavite and its bay, where the historic naval battle
occurred.
Presently we begin to see a low line of buildings,
and towering above them, here and there, the domes
of Roman Catholic churches.    Skyscrapers will
never be possible here, because of frequent and often
violent earthquakes.,Our vessel comes to anchor and we step on the
steam launch that awaits our ocean steamship.










4
29U





IN THE PHILIPPINES


21


Now we feel we have found something truly
American in the little vessel with our Stars and
Stripes sharply tossed in the breeze.
The city soon looms up quite distinctly, and we
have entered the mouth of the Pasig River.
To the right is the noted Spanish fort Santiago,
with its grim, ancient walls and grated windows
that remind us of those slimy dark cells, where many
a poor prisoner has died of the "noisome pestilence" gendered by the filth of years.
The swift river is a most treacherous water; many
of our brave soldiers who happened to fall overboard were caught in its whirlpools and drowned
before help could reach them.
The stream is lined with smaller ocean craft, and
native "cascos" that are waiting to be unloaded, for
they have brought to Manila the produce of the
many islands of this group. Tobacco, manila hemp,
lumber, sugar, rice and fruits form a large part of
their cargo. This crowded condition of the Pasig
River will no doubt be relieved when Government
has finighed the massive breakwater near the river's
mouth that is being rapidly pushed to completion.
We reach the shore after climbing over two or
three vessels, and are soon seated in a carromato
(native carriage) and being rapidly driven to the
principal business street, "The Escolta," or over





22    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
"Puente de Espana" (Spanish bridge) that connects commercial Manila lying on the north of the
river to the walled city on the south.
With the return of peace to these islands trade
has taken a rapid bound upward. In the present
crowded condition of commercial Manila the leading question is, "How shall we get more room for
people and carriages"?
The American police, stationed every two hundred feet on the Escolta, are kept busy guiding the
carriages that so often block the thoroughfares.
Some business men think it may very soon be necessary to cross the river and build on a larger scale.
The Chinese quarter is a veritable "Chinatown,"
with its crowded little booth-like shops and their
immense red signs decorated with large gilt Chinese characters. The two hundred thousand Chinamen we find in the islands are largely merchants
and mechanics. At present they almost exclusively
monopolize the retail lumber trade.
The city is divided into sections. A roomy plaza
with a massive Roman Catholic church fronting
on the space they utilize for their frequent processions in celebration of some canonized saint, which
in the evening make a gorgeous display with the
thousands of lighted torches.










..........................             -------------,w
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1 14
t;r-"
tt





IN THE PHILIPPINES


23


When driving about this tropical city, one is impressed by its cosmopolitan character.
There are Spanish families still living in their
old houses, with lovely gardens partly enclosed in
high walls. On the street we meet the "Mestizo,"
or Filipino of the plains, with his flowing white
dress. Here are found, too, the German and English merchants or shipowners, the Parsee or educated
Hindu who has come from India for business.
The omnipresent Chinaman, however, is seen in
every grade and class. Possibly the first to encounter will be the Chinese peddler who is sure to want
to sell you something from the huge pack he carries
all day on his shoulders, and from whom, by the
way, one may buy many most exquisite pieces of
Chinese embroidery or dress material at a far lower
cost than is possible from any other merchant.
One is struck by the large number of children.
If it were not for the fact that four out of five children die before ten years of age, the population
would be like China or Japan. For it is said by
good authority that we have in the Philippines area
equal to Japan, which has 40,000,000 people, while
in these islands we have but Io,ooo,ooo population.
When sanitary laws are better understood by the
natives, and they have become fully Americanized,
the native increase of population may be expected.





24    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
Municipal government under more enlightened rule
is making rapid improvement in laying out broad
avenues. Fine corps of men are industriously scraping out ditches which were breeding fever and dysentery. If one has a house engaged he is counted
fortunate, as houses are held at a high rent and are
almost unobtainable.
The exterior of the ordinary house is barn-like.
They stand directly on the street with a two-foot
sidewalk between them and a much traveled road.
Sliding windows enclose a broad veranda on the
second floor. These screen-like slides are made of a
thin translucent shell that is found in abundance on
the shores and are not breakable. They are most
inexpensive and suitable. The floors of Manila
houses are of dark wood, very unique and elegant.
The trees from which the lumber was obtained
must have been of mammoth dimensions, and thoughi
cut with a handsaw in primitive fashion receive a
high polish.
The "house boy" cleans the floors every morning
by a three-fold process. First with a soft grass
broom of esthetic shape and texture. Second with
a damp cloth, and third by standing barefooted on
pads of cloth wet in kerosene, he leisurely shuffles
up and down with a skating movement till the floors





IN THE PHILIPPINES


25


are polished to his satisfaction. He seems to time
himself by the number of cigarettes he smokes.
The kitchens of these Manila houses are small
and of primitive design, with the clay stove of the
Orient. Many American families, however, have
the luxury of a cooking stove in which wood is
burned. The cook is a Chinaman, or a Filipino, who
also does the daily marketing, as it is too warm
to keep any supplies, and ice boxes are rare, although
manufactured ice is quite inexpensive and most families, including Filipinos, indulge in ice cream and
ices many times in the week. On the whole the
table is well supplied with vegetables and fruit.
The meats are not so good because they must be
eaten so soon after being killed, at. least so your
cook insists.
Fish of many varieties is abundant. The greatest privation in the food line is the lack of fresh
milk, for there seems to be no sure way of obtaining
the pure article from the native milkman and his
bamboo milk jug. When Americans have found
the secret of bringing fine kinds of cattle from our
dwn country, that can bear the climate, we may hope
for better things. At present the milk and butter
used by Americans comes by cold storage vessels
from Australia. Canned goods are used only by
our countrymen.





26     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
Aside from these average Spanish houses used
by Americans, there are imposing bungalows occupied by officers and foreign legations.
These residences are situated near the river or
bay. They have high ceilings and the large sliding
windows which make it possible to have the entire
side of the room open to the air. Many of these
houses have inlaid mosaic floors, evidently of Italian
design. There are richly carved folding doors of
exquisite hardwood resembling mahogany.
The broad hardwood staircases and carved balustrades are silent reminders of the days when wealthy
Castilians indulged in the luxury of these palatial
houses.
The house-tops, adorned by rare foliage plants
where the family live in the early morn and late
evening, are veritable hanging gardens.
Many of these bungalows are still the property of
Spanish' people, now gone to Spain, who collect
large rents from their Manila homes.
These more elegant houses are some distance from
the crowded city and are situated in Ermita, Malate
or in San Maguel.
Many fine residences are also found in the towns
of Trozo or Binondo, for commercial Manila is like
many old cities of Europe, simply a consolidation of
several smaller towns.





IN THE PHILIPPINES


27


All the cosmopolitan inhabitants of commercial
and walled Manila of 300,000 people, by mutual
consent, indulge in the luxury of a walk or ride on
the Luneta at sunset.
This historic drive is the grand parade ground,
or boulevard by the bay. At about 6 p. m. all conditions and nationalities of men congregate to enjoy
this combined concert, daily reception and pleasure
drive.
There are groups of petticoated friars strolling
leisurely along, for the many hundreds who are
crowded in the walled city have been driven here
to seek protection. These friars were the former
padres of the parishes in the provinces. It is a boon
for them to find a breathing space here.
The long lines of carriages are bearing families
of merchants or professional men. Many lovely
Filipino ladies are enjoying the cool evening air
and getting a distant view at least, of the United
States officers' families, who are much in evidence.
Ladies are dressed in soft white, often with bare
necks and arms, with only a flower or knot of ribbon in the hair, seated in trim little victorias, drawn
by spirited native ponies. Gentlemen gather by the
carriage of some popular belle to have a chat.
Officers who have no families are sure to be prominent, thus driving for a little, or stopping to greet





28    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
friends, or perchance to linger near the band stands,
for the military bands often provide a rare musical
treat.
The unique procession slowly moves on to enjoy
the delicious sea breeze while the evening shades
draw nigh.
Judge Norris, an orator, who often discourses to
the army Y. M. C. A., has most perfectly described
the gorgeous sunsets as seen from the Luneta. He
says: "The most beautiful sunset in the United
States is as viewed looking out over the waters of
Manila Bay. All colors of the rainbow, the crimson,
gokl and purple, the hue of the diamond, the ruby,
the sapphire, the topaz and emerald, blend where sky
and sea almost imperceptibly meet.
"Through these gates of glory is a pavement of
gold leading to the United States.
"Over that pavement of gold and through that
radiant way comes new life and light to these
islands. May it come with the American soldier
and American citizen, composed of strong manhood
of the United States. Let the American people control the destinies of the archipelago. Let the principles of Washington prevail, and in half a decade,
yea, in half that time, the Filipinos will with us
exult in the common heritage of the name and fame
of Washington."





IN THE PHILIPPINES                29
When the skies grow darker, and the glorious
sunset begins to fade, suddenly the strains of our
national anthem fill the air. "The Star Spangled
Banner" is the sign for the close of the concert.
Immediately every gentleman springs to his feet.
The Filipino, also, gives our flag his homage, and
all stand with uncovered heads till the last strains
die away, and the slowly retreating procession has
left the beach to the soft murmur of the waves.





CHAPTER II.


NIPA SHACKS.
Like the birds and squirrels, these native people
of the poorer classes build their abodes out of the
material nature has supplied, which always lies
ready to hand. Nothing could be more artistic and
harmonize more perfectly with the landscape than
the "nipa shack." Not a nail need be used in its
construction. The bamboo is perhaps more abundant here than in any other tropical country, and
waves its plume-like foliage over every neglected
spot. The country roads are sylvan bowers. There
are bamboo hedges which touch overhead; the passion vine, with its royal purple blossoms, seems bent
on making every little lane and road fit for a triumphal procession. Nestled among such surroundings are the "nipa shacks."
Thatched with the palm, the roof is a perfect
protection against the midday sun, and, in its season,
the searching typhoon's driving rain. When a shack
is to be built, a frame of stout bamboos mortised together and firmly lashed with pliable strips from the
bamboo's outer covering, is raised. The sides of
30





u~w
4t,










IN THE PHILIPPINES


31


the houses are also thatched with the brown nipa
leaf palm. The openings for the windows are
shielded, when necessary, by movable squares, which
are useful at all times; by propping out the nipa
shield, which serves as a shutter, one has an awning,
most picturesque and complete, to soften the midday
glare. When the cool nights come during the interval from November to March, these shields are
lowered.
All nipa shacks are mounted on stilts, which lift
the bird's nest of a house several feet from the
ground, because the earth for months may be sodden, or covered more or less with water. They are
approached by ladder-like stairs, made of three
bamboos tied together. Once inside we are charmed.
The floors are of strips of bamboo, the flint-like
glossy covering making a perfectly polished surface.
Each strip is tied to the large bamboos that form
the beams below, and bend beneath the feet like elastic
springs. The open spaces afford excellent ventilation, and enable one to enjoy a view of feathery ferns
waving in the breeze below, or if less esthetically
inclined, an old hen clucking to her chickens. Sofalike seats are built into the house. These serve for
beds for those who do not choose the floor and a
grass pillow.
The kitchens, however, are most interesting.





32     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
Here are the clay fire-places, such as are used so
much in the Orient, fac similes of those found in
houses of ancient Pompeii, destroyed 1900oo years ago.
The pots and pans are of the same red clay. Banana leaves often serve for dishes, and save dishwashing. How the natives manage to build fires
and cook rice and fish, their chief articles of food,
without burning down this most inflammable house
is a mystery. The burning of a shack would not,
however, prove a great calamity, as the banana
groves are so dense between the little leafy huts that
fire seldom spreads.
Unlike most peoples of the poorest class, these
Filipinos as a rule are cleanly, the chief employment
of the women being the washing of clothes. Standing in the river (and rivers are very numerous),
with the water to her knees, the thrifty housewife
beats the clothes with a broad wand. She bleaches
the white pieces till they are like driven snow.
When visiting one of these shacks, harp and violin were taken down, and we were treated to the
music peculiar to this "peculiar people." Even their
dance music savors of the minor key. The children
danced for us in wave-like movements, keeping perfect time to the music.
Most of the musical instruments in these simple










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IN THE PHILIPPINES


33


homes are of amateur make; but there never was
such melting, dreamy, pleading music as is theirs.
In these shacks there are swarms of children, who
chew the fresh sugar-cane all day, and wear an
apology for clothing in the way of a tiny slip that
scarcely covers their nakedness, so sheer is its texture. It is remarkable how soon one comes to feel
that the dark skin is the proper dress in this hot
climate!
In open spaces between these little brown huts
we have been holding interesting open-air evangelistic meetings. With a small folding organ to
accompany the singing of Spanish hymns, we begin
the service. In a few moments the crowd begins to
gather. The Filipinos had never even heard of an
open-air service. Their church-going has all been
with the Romish petticoated priests; not even with
the nuns who scarcely ever go abroad, but are closely
shut in the high walls of the old Spanish nunneries.
Men linger as they pass by our singing group.
Women with babies, young girls in their pretty pena
dress and long, flowing black hair, young students
in spotless white just from the college or office; all
unexpectedly find in their path the unusual gathering. The music is an attraction they cannot resist.
So they linger, at first with a scowl of uncertain
disapproval, but gradually this hint of uncertainty





34    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
disappears and melts into questioning approval, and
later into unrestrained interest.
How interesting to watch these faces and realize
that we are actually sowing "the seed" in virgin
soil! The Bible is read under the open sky, in the
gathering shadows of the setting sun. They find
God's temple and His own illumined shrine under
the shades of banana and bamboo, and learn that
"they that worship Him must worship Him in
spirit and in truth." In this way they find that
prayer is not a senseless round of words in an unknown tongue, but a voicing of the heart's most
earnest cry. Sin, so realized and felt by us all, can
never be washed away except by the confession of
our guilt to Jesus Himself. Jesus, our Elder Brother, is pledged to fulfill His own words, and those
written by the Holy Spirit, "God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life," "and the blood of Jesus Christ, His
Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Jesus has never
given this divine power to forgive sins, or even to
present the penitent sinner to God, to any human
being. It is His right, so dearly bought on the
Cross. To Him let us go like little children to a
tender father.
During the prayer all heads are bowed, and the





IN THE PHILIPPINES


35


most heartfelt reverence is shown. The seed so
small, so easily killed or injured, has fallen into
hundreds of longing hearts. The soil has been long
preparing by the patient Gardener. Years of dissatisfaction and questioning doubt have gone before.
Thousands of heart histories might be written,
where the cunning friar has overstepped prudence,
and this patient, naturally religious people have
come to the point of losing all faith in the church.
Often bitter hatred has taken the place of love.
At the end of the service the Gospels, separately
bound, or the Testaments in Spanish or Tagalog are
offered for from two and a half to twenty cents
each. Eagerly they press around us for copies.
Many buy the single Gospels by the dozen that they
may give them to friends. The hymn sheets are carried home and days later we often hear them singing
the sweet tunes and dwelling on the words. When
we give them a song that follows them in their daily
life we have found a mighty power that speaks to
hearts and influences lives as no other agency can
possibly do.





CHAPTER III.


OLD MANILA.
This walled city was built about 1590, or about
three centuries ago, and reminds one of mediaeval
Europe. The narrow streets have a decidedly monastic appearance. There are no cafes, theaters or
other places of amusement, and few stores. In the
past, religious processions of the Romish church
and convents were the masked evidence of life here.
The whole city evidently was built to guard Government officials and those of the church acting
for the Government. The massive walls are double
in some places, with moats, gates, and draw-bridges.
These moats are choked with weeds and tropical
shrubs, like a veritable pontoon marsh. The heavily
paneled gates "suggest a dark and troubled past."
The draw-bridges with chains still intact take
one back to mediaeval times, when knights and
horses were heavily mailed, and when arrows and
spears were weapons of warfare.     There are,
also, evidences of massive cannon of ancient make
having rested on the wide, battlemented walls. In
some parts the walls support an ancient fort, which
36





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IN THE PHILIPPINES


37


extends over the outer moat. This moat is nothing
more than a dangerous swamp likely to engulf any
who attempt to cross it. On that portion toward
the open country there are two separate walls, moats
and gates. In the olden days the Spanish preferred
to live inside such protection. The gates were shut
at dark and draw-bridges were pulled up, for all outside were known to be hostile natives, who saw in
all government their natural enemy. There are eight
draw-bridges and as many gates in these walls, in
a fairly good state of preservation.
The question at present is what to do with these
moats which reek with slime and send out pestilential odors. The Civil Commission has had them
examined by the army physicians, with a hope of
getting some light on the best way to dispose of
the death-traps. It is affirmed by Spanish authorities that the sewage of this city for three hundred
years has been collecting here. Some ancient authorities say these moats are paved at the bottom.
Even in recent Spanish times the possibility of cleaning the moats has been debated, but authorities
hesitated to disturb the deposit, for fear of danger
more serious than would result from allowing it to
remain. A tentative attempt has been inaugurated
by the United States Commission to cleanse one
moat. A more perfect connection with the river and





38     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
bay has been cleared, so that the tide readily rises
and falls in the slimy depths.
The area enclosed in the city walls is about a mile
square. On the side toward the mouth of the Pasig
River is the old Spanish fort of Santiago, now
utilized as barracks for some of our troops; also
as a convenient and secure arsenal whence ammunition is supplied to the troops over the islands. It is
also used as a place of confinement for prisoners of
war. Many of the ancient cells beneath are below
tide-water level, and no doubt were used in ancient
days as a ready way of disposing of many poor
wretches, who never saw the day after entering those
fatal cells. The floors of some cells are even now
strewn with human bones.
When the United states took Manila there were
2,900 prisoners in the jails. Many were political
prisoners who had been confined on the merest suspicions. After investigation i, oo were released.
Twenty-four of these were women. A widow had
entered the prison with a little boy of four years.
He was seventeen years old when released. Another
woman had been imprisoned Enceinte. Her child
was born in the prison cell and was ten years old at
the time of release.
None of these ancient fortifications are of any





IN THE PHILIPPINES


39


value in modern warfare; but will be allowed to
stand as monuments of the past.
The population inside of the walls is dense. No
bit of ground is wasted. There are at least one
hundred thousand people in the walled city. Here
are still the Government Halls, "El Palacio" (the
state house), which is quite imposing. We climbed
the broad marble stairs to the midway landing and
enjoyed that masterpiece of art, the statue of Magellan.
Members of the Commission have offices here.
Passing down the marble halls, we heard the busy
click of typewriters at work on official letters.
Not many blocks away is the old Spanish Seminary, formerly filled with young Filipinos being
trained as priests. Here now the United States has
headquarters for municipal officers, the Proboste
General, the tax collectors and others.
In the walled city Rome has her best ecclesiastical
buildings. Here is the Cathedral with its massive
walls and dome. Women and children sought protectiorti here during troublous times, for it was said
no bombshell could penetrate the walls. Now it is
open all day for any devout Roman Catholics who
may wish to store up merit by long prayers and oftrepeated confessions. Here are many convents and
schools, where young girls are educated. They





40     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
spend most of the day in embroidering or in studying music or painting. The primary studies, in
most cases, are considered quite sufficient for girls.
There are also colleges for boys. In one of these
there are nearly 2,000 students. All are under the
tutorship of priests.
Fully two-thirds of the walled city population is
composed of Romish votaries. The Archbishop's
palace is here, with its elegant chapel. There are
also many ancient churches of Rome. Here are
found nunneries where the nuns never see the light
of day, but spend all their lives within the high convent walls. The walled city boasts of one large
hospital, "San Juan de Dios," where any one can
have care while sick at a moderate cost. Filipino
patients, however, are forced to confess as often
as the priest in attendance sees fit. If confession is
refused by the patient, he is told that he had better
not remain. For this reason, with a growing Filipino Christian Protestant church, it is necessary to
have as soon as possible a first-class Filipino hospital, where good nursing and medical care can be
had, free from Romish demands.
Driving or walking about this ancient city, one
sees many petticoated men. It is the custom of the
friars to walk abroad at evening. Many, no doubt,
belong to churches away in the provinces, but on





IN THE PHILIPPINES


4I


account of the deadly hate the people have for them,
since 1896, they have had to come to walled Manila
for safety. The question is, "Why do the people
hate them"? Is there any good cause for the bitter
rebellion against these men who formerly were the
padres (fathers) of the parishes? There are here
four different orders-the Dominicans, Augustins,
Recolletos, and Franciscans. In I896, there were
over I,Ioo of these friars in the parishes all over
the islands. When American troops arrived they
found over four hundred in prison under insurgent
rule. As our army advanced these prisoners were
released, and the Filipinos began to feel that Americans were as friendly to friars as the Spanish of
old. The question most anxiously put was, "Will
Americans return these friars to their parishes from
which we drove them? Are the churches which we
reduced to ruins to be rebuilt? Have we suffered
for naught"? The reader doubtless would like to
ask, "How did the friar get the great political power
in the past which he seems to have had"? That is
an easily answered question. First, the friar was
the most intelligent man in his parish, where there
was little effort to make men think, or to encourage
education that in this century can be dignified as
such. So this wise man, the friar, was superior to
the common people. Second, in most parishes





42     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
Spain chose the friar to represent the Government,
and as soon as church and state have been united,
enough seeds of discord have been sown to bring
forth a crop of dissatisfaction, rebellion, and injustice. So you are assured by the first steps of investigation that there is good cause for discord.
Probing deeper, one finds still greater sores, and
wounds not easily healed without a surgical operation., which we will leave for a later chapter.
The third potent reason for the hatred toward
the friar lies in the fact that he, as religious superior,
did not hesitate to use his prestige in overawing and
controlling the people. When the individual possessed with such power was found to be so capable
of double dealing and fraud as the friar proved himself, the contrast between the real individual and
the ideal was too wide a gulf to be easily spanned.
Hence the disgust and hatred of the people.
We are rejoiced to find in the walled city that
our Protestant missionaries have come to stay so
long as Old Glory waves its protecting folds above
them.
Here on the busiest calle (street) is the Y. M.
C. A. building for the Army and Navy Department.
Its library, lecture hall, dormitories and recreation
rooms are at the disposal of our soldiers and sailors.
Upstairs one may see our soldier boys off duty,





IN THE PHILIPPINES


43


reading in the long bamboo chairs, man-fashion,
with legs up in the air; in another more secluded
room they may be found seated at large tables writing letters on the Y. M. C. A. flag-stamped letterpaper. Dear ones at home are going to hear about
the last "hyke," or the fever, or the time spent in
hospital. Often the letters are enthusiastic with
bright hopes and plans. In the entrance hall the
boys congregate and have great fun playing games
of various kinds. In the evening they listen to the
sweetest strains by "the Stella," the mammoth music
box given them by their benefactress, Miss Helen
M. Gould. On Saturday evenings lecturers are
chosen of ability who discourse on many interesting  themes, both instructive and entertaining.
Here also are held the weekly Bible classes and
literary club discussions. On the Sabbath one may
enjoy several fine religious services. So "our boys"
who wish to be uplifted have many helpful ways of
spending their leisure hours.
What a blessing to our army is this Y. M. C. A.!
Of the fine corps of secretaries many are quite
young. Boyish and full of fun, with a ready joke
and buoyant manner, they are always ready to meet
the lonely, maybe home-sick soldier, and give him
a lift on the weary road; for soldiers do get the
"blues" badly sometimes.





44     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
All over these islands, even where only one or
two companies are stationed to protect law-abiding
citizens, the Y. M. C. A. has made some provision
for the men so far from home and loved ones.
Next door are the American Bible Society officers,
with their big signs outside in English, Spanish
and Chinese. This is a busy place, for here the
business is transacted for the translation of the Bible
into the thirty different languages of these islands.
This of course is a very laborious work, and must
necessarily proceed slowly. At present portions of
the New Testament are published and being sold in
six of the native languages.
The British and Foreign Bible Society is here.
Both societies are sending out colporteurs to the
provinces-fine young men with the newly prepared
portions of the Scriptures, visiting from house to
house. This is the first time in the history of these
islands that the Bible, or any portion of it, could
with safety be publicly offered in these islands.
The following account of the first Scriptures in
native dialects that were distributed in these islands
was given to me by Mr. Jackson, who was one of
those who distributed the precious books:
"In the early eighties one Father La Lallave, a
Spanish Catholic priest who was stationed in the
province of Pangasinan, became convinced of the





IN THE PHILIPPINES


45


falsity of the Roman Catholic church. After some
time he determined to embrace the Protestant faith,
and of course was excommunicated. He returned
to Spain and there engaged in translating the four
Gospels and Acts into the Pangasinan dialect. These
translations were published by the British and Foreign Bible Society. Upon completion of the first
edition, Father La Lallave with an assistant returned
to Manila, and took up his quarters at Hotel de
Oriente. They had been there only a couple of days
when both were taken violently ill and showed signs
of poisoning. The assistant being a younger man,
recovered after a time, but La Lallave failed and
finally died, killed, it is supposed, at the instigation
of a jealous priesthood. The books were never landed, and were returned by the steamship company
to Singapore, where they remained until the American occupancy of Manila, August, 1898."
Almost immediately upon the news of the capture becoming known to the world, the British and
Foreign Bible Society sent Mr. B. C. Randall, who
had a knowledge of Spanish, with these books to
Manila, and as soon as the country was opened to
traffic by order of the insurgent general, Aguinaldo,
Mr. Randall, accompanied by Messrs. Charles A.
Glunz and F. A. Jackson, of the Army Young Men's
Christian Association, went at once to Dagupan,





46     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
the principal city of Pangasinan, and there distributed the Gospels to the people. So eager were they
to receive them that the colporteurs had to take
refuge in a near-by building and pass the books out
through the grated windows to avoid being overrun. By this kindly aid of the insurgent guard
every book was at last distributed, and everywhere
were eager groups reading the word of God in their
own tongue.
The age of persecution, however, is not passed.
Only a few months ago, in the southern part of
Luzon, where the simple people had not come into
contact with the outside world, a young colporteur
of the British and Foreign Bible Society sold the
eager people portions of the Testament in large
amounts. The Filipino priest, finding it out, ordered
the possessors to bring this new book to him, which
the trusting people did, when they found their treasure was piled with the three hundred other copies
seized, and burned! So we see that some of the
spirit of the Dark Ages still lives, and the heart of
the Romish church is the same as in the early ages
of persecution and darkness.
"The Christian churches of the United States
have no more important task before them than to
give at once to the people of the Philippine Islands
the Living Word of God. Spanish Romanism, in all





IN THE PHILIPPINES


47


its three hundred years of rule in these regions,
neither translated the Bible into the languages of
the people nor distributed its own versions among
them. If we have any right in these islands, we
have the high duty of bringing to these naturally
favored regions the first essentials of Christian civilization. The spirit of Bible liberty brought our
forefathers to American shores, and shaped our
Government and institutions. The millions now
looking for the first time to the Stars and Stripes
for protection can be civilized most thoroughly and
most in harmony with our own ideas by the gift of
the Bible. Schools, churches, trade, and self-government follow its lead."
The hour for the deliverance of these people has
come. Even this old walled city of Manila can no
longer resist the edict of the Almighty. It is no
longer necessary to shut the gates and pull up the
draw-bridges at dark. This is the first hour of the
dawn of a day when we hope to have a Bible institute and training school for Filipinos, that they may
read their Bibles, know their God, and rejoice in
religious liberty.





CHAPTER IV.


THE RULE OF ROME.
So many centuries have passed since there has
been any visible showing of the ancient methods of
the rule of Rome in Europe that we Americans had
begun to discredit those stories our grandmothers
used to relate to us of the burning of Bibles and
of men and women who dared to keep the precious
Book. How our Pilgrim Fathers hated everything
that savored of Rome! We even blamed our ancestors, and called them narrow and bigoted. The
very word "Puritanical" had come to be synonymous with over-zealousness. When, suddenly, by
the entrance of our army into Manila, we were
brought face to face with realities that caused us
to reconsider our conclusions; we were obliged to
change our minds. We found the ancient power in
full working order!
When Pompeii was unearthed the world found a
relic of the past, valuable beyond calculation. There
we can study ancient history with renewed zest. We
have the very houses, lamps, pictures, and gardens
with which to construct a Roman city of the time
48





IN THE PHILIPPINES


49


of Christ. And who shall say what this coming to
the Philippines may mean to us? Who will take
a little time to investigate? For we have here unearthed a sample of the ancient Roman Church.
We have suddenly come face to face with a very
well preserved example of the power which reached
its zenith in the Dark Ages. In scarcely any other
part of the globe can so complete a study be made
of the methods used in the fifteenth century. It is
a hoary figure, which has not lost all vitality. Suddenly the fire flashes from it still, reminding us
that life is not at such a low ebb, but that it might
arouse from its senile inactivity to attempt again
to assume temporal power, that the Pope still assures us belongs to him.
How is it that this ancient church has lost its
prestige and its power? It is a long story. Libraries containing thousands of volumes should be consulted to investigate fully the painful tale. First
came its lapses from the Bible-substituting legends
for its,holy truths. Saints occupy the place that
belongs to Christ alone. Then the church assumed
the right to think for the people, and to forbid liberty of conscience. The British Consul a few years
ago desired to have a simple religious service for
the Englishmen who were doing business in Manila.





50     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
The Church of Rome refused to allow this liberty
to the British Consul.
A free press, liberty of speech and conscience
were not permitted in the Church of Rome of 16oo.
Neither were they allowed in the Isles of the Philippines before our flag was planted there.
Following the lead of England and America,
other nations are fast learning to respect liberty of
conscience, and to resent, even with arms, any attempt to restrict it.  Spain alone clings to the
blood-stained garments of ancient Rome. Even
Italy has freed herself from the Church, and the
Pope mourns his loss, and says he is a prisoner in
his own house. True! Quite true!
Probably not till Christ comes again, as King of
Kings and Lord of Lords, will Rome be entirely
subdued. In fact, prophecy states, "The mystery of
iniquity remains-whom the Lord shall consume
with the brightness of His coming."
The policy of Spain, however, has been unchanged
during these ages of history, throughout which she
has unfailingly put "The Church" to the front.
Spain, the country which has lost more colonies
and area than any other nation has ever won, has
sacrificed all to the wonderful loyalty she has unswervingly shown to the Church of Rome. In these
days of Spain's decline, even in the mother country,





IN THE PHILIPPINES


5i


the people are beginning to revolt against Friars.
Poor Spain! Hunted by her own religious fathers
to the altars in the sacred temples of the home!
That the United States has been used by the hand
of God to free so many Spanish colonies from these
burdens imposed by Spain and the Church is now,
we are thankful to say, a matter of history. But
are we correct? Has Rome really been so absolute
and relentless here? Guardedly we search records
and reports of authorities which must be trusted.
The United States Civil Commission, which was
appealed to by Archbishop Chappelle to decide what
should be done about the Friars, says: "The participation of the Friars in the affairs of the Filipino
Parish, Provincial and Insular Government was
more effective to secure entire control of the political
situation than if the priests had been merely secular
officers, and not bound together by the close association of monastic orders. The truth is that the
whole government of Spain in these islands rested
on the Friars. To use the words of the Provincial
of the Augustins, 'The Friars were the pedestal or
foundation of the sovereignty of Spain in those
islands, which, if removed, the whole structure
would tumble over.' The number of Spanish troops
in these islands did not exceed five thousand until
the revolution. The tenure of office of the Friar




52     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
curate was permanent. Once settled in a parish, a
priest usually remained until superannuated. He was,
therefore, a constant political factor. The same was
true of Bishops and Archbishops. The military and
civil offices were generally for four years or a
shorter period. The Friars, priests and bishops
constituted a solid, powerful, permanent and well
organized force that dominated politics. Anyone
who attempted to pursue a course at variance with
that deemed wise by these ecclesiastics was overpowered by the well organized priesthood and
Friars.
Besides all this ecclesiastical and political power
that was so masterfully wielded, we find, by research,
that these monastic orders possessed the prestige that
comes from great wealth.
Reverend James B. Rodgers, of Manila, was
asked to investigate this matter as to the wealth
and landed interests of the Romish Church here.
He spent some months in research. The results he
gave to the New York press, and his statements are
quoted as correct. Here are a few notes from his
paper: "The Romish Church is the wealthiest corporation in the islands. In many cases it has been
customary for all good Filipinos to leave one-third
of their property to the Church. A regular office
force is kept to manage this business, which is prac




IN THE PHILIPPINES


53


tically a banking business. There is also a list of
masses paid for during the year. The income from
this source alone for 1893 was $83,340.71. If
the Church was more for the people; if the people
felt that they were the Church, and that, therefore,
all that was the Church's was theirs, they would be
content. But they know that the Church is the
Friars. The Friars are Spanish, and their departure
for Spain means the departure of its wealth also.
Hence the friction."
Much of the money given the churches, especially
legacies, has been extorted under fear of purgatory.
The land question is one of the most difficult to
solve. The abuses in regard to the land laws of
the country have been among the chief causes of
complaint in the past. There are two distinct sides
to the land question-the large landed estates of the
Church and the Church properties. The Church is
one of the largest land-holders. The Church, of
course, owns the schoolhouses and church buildings,
and the landed estates of the Church in the country
near Manila and in the interior provinces are immense. These estates were acquired in various ways.
Many were received as gifts from devotees or from
the States, others by purchase, or by fraud. The
income from the large tobacco, sugar, and hemp





54     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
estates is used for the support of seminaries, schools
and ecclesiastical Spanish orders. Thus these religious orders are exceedingly wealthy. The Dominican order alone has 140,ooo acres of land under
cultivation very near Manila. Many estates include
good-sized towns and villages and plantations.
Other orders have immense estates.
The Friars of various orders also have money
invested with commercial firms in the city. When
the taking of Manila by our American army was
imminent there was a sudden flurry among the
Friars, for they feared confiscation of personal property. Therefore, to make more secure their immense investments, they hurriedly made a show of
sale to English firms, because Englishmen's rights
would be more likely to be recognized, and their
institutions were more secure. There are now in
Manila these English firms, who are simply agents
for the Friars, which, of course, is perfectly legitimate, but proves the facts we give. The ownership
of this immense amount of personal property is, of
course, inconsistent with the oaths of poverty and
self-abnegation these same Friars made years ago.
While a very great part of these islands is owned
by the Church, there are also some private families
who are large land owners. Thus the land is practically divided between immense trusts, and in con




IN THE PHILIPPINES


55


sequence the large land owners hold the balance of
power. It is a most difficult problem our American
authorities have to settle-to give the people of the
soil their lands and still respect those who have unlawfully had them in possession, in many cases, over
a hnudred years. There were many tricks by which
land was gotten from the people. One plan was to
request from all the farmers a small annual contribution toward the building of a church, or for its
support. This was readily given. A receipt was
given in Spanish for the money or produce, as the
case might be. Soon this was demanded as a right
instead of a request for a gift, and at last the claim
was advanced that these contributions were really
the annual rental for the land they occupied, and
therefore the Church or order owned the property.
Another way in which the people of the soil lost
their lands was that they were unwilling to register
their lands.
Some forty years ago the confusion in this matter
as to rightful owners of lands was so great that
the Spanish Government issued an order for all who
had had one year's possession of their lands undisputed to come forward at once and register their
lands. The careless and ignorant ones paid no attention to this, while the unprincipled and sharper
ones took this opportunity to register their own as





56     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
well as their neighbor's, whose land they quietly
found out was not registered. So they put them
under their own name. Thus the land grabbers
quietly rested till years rolled by before they openly
laid claim to the fraudulently gotten land; for they
knew the farmers have a great horror of going to
law. These farmers have too often seen their neighbors reduced to abject poverty by attempting to verify their rights; and, above all things, if it was a
case of going to law with the Church, they were
sure to bring ruin on their families by such impolitic
and dangerous measures.
The Friars were exempt from trials for offenses,
except the most heinous, in the ordinary civil courts
under Spanish rule. In fact, they must have a
hearing in the ecclesiastical court first before any
ordinary court can touch them. It was a matter
quite easily managed to set all claim of the Friars'
guilt aside, if the matter involved the Church's
greed, thus favoring the Church above the people
of the soil.
So these simple people have endured for centuries
the setting aside of their rights. It has always been
the powerful against the weak; the clergy against
the common people. Of late, some more intelligent
than the rest, by education and travel, have found out
that all the world is not so oppressed; that in most





IN THE PHILIPPINES


57


parts of Europe, and in the far away great Republic
of America, the poorest have their rights respected.
Then these Filipinos rebelled in earnest against a
government that upheld the Friars in screwing down
the levers of ecclesiastical claims, that unrighteously
had stripped them of homes and property. Thus the
rebellion against Spain took definite shape in 1896.
We have said that in all instances where her colonies were questioning the actions of the Church,
Spain, still loyal to Rome, has unswervingly gone
on putting the Church to the front. The latter, in
consequence, having intimate knoweldge of the internal state of all political affairs, has firmly led
on the Spanish Government in Cuba, in Porto Rico,
and here in the Philippine Islands, to turn a deaf ear
to the cries of an oppressed people, until their
wrongs have reached the heavens, and God, with
mighty powers, has wrested these colonies of Spain
from her injustice and cruelty.
During these centuries of absolute control in a
corner of the earth, as it were, quite aloof from observation, the ecclesiastical orders, isolated from
native land and removed from observation of enlightened peoples, have fallen into depths of immorality. The confessional, no doubt, brought them
into many an unlawful intimacy. The Filipino people, as a whole, are remarkably chaste and true to





58    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
their marriage vows. Even when marriage has been
denied them, still a man and woman who have
vowed mutual fidelity have lived up to the oath thus
simply made. The revelations in all countries of
the questionable character of the private life of
Romish ecclesiastics has been proverbial, and holds
true here; for there are now all over these islands
families who owe their birth to the Friar, who unlawfully lived with the woman that the Church
would never consent to his marrying. In such cases
it is not counted any shame to the woman to be the
mistress of the Priest or Friar. In fact, she is very
proud to tell you who the father of her children is,
and her simple village friends do not think any the
less of her, for is not the Friar the highest official
of the land? It is our fortune to know well one
such woman in Manila. She found the young Friar
in the confessional. They fell in love with each
other, and lived for years as man and wife, but
of course without any marriage. In the time when
insurrection was rife in the land, and this young
Friar sympathized a little too freely with the oppressed Filipinos, Rome saw fit to call the young
Friar home. He went, leaving the young Spanish
mestizo girl in Manila. The Church has always paid
her bills, and she still received loving letters from
her lover (the young Friar), who will probably be





IN THE PHILIPPINES


59


detained in Europe indefinitely. If she attempted
to follow him the Church would refuse her further
support. If they were to be secretly married, of
course the Friar would be excommunicated. So
these unfortunate lovers must leave the Church of
Rome if they wish to be husband and wife. The
prospects are that they will accomplish their desire,
and live true lives outside of the religious order,
which they see is so false.
Since the arrival of American missionaries in
these isles they have been besieged from early morn
till late evening with Filipino couples who want to be
married; for they soon learn that the laws of the
United States recognized the marriage certificate of
this non-Roman clergy. For a small sum, or for
no money if they are poor, the friendly American
missionary makes them husband and wife. It has
been very pathetic, for in many cases they have already lived together for years, till large families
have been born to them as time went by, and in some
cases the older children are sixteen and seventeen
years of age. Why were not these men and women
married years ago? On close inquiry we find that
there were obstacles to be surmounted that were
too high to be scaled. Perhaps they had failed to
go to the confessional for some time, and thus the
fees due the priest had not reached him. Then,





6o    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
when questioned, the priest put the marriage fee so
high they had no way to pay him. They needed
to receive absolution before the priest could marry
them, and that would require a fee, too. Altogether,
the money required to get married was entirely beyond their ability to pay. So they made solemn vows
to one another, and God saw and did not curse them;
another little "nipa shack" was built, and another
simple home begun! All over these islands are thousands of law-abiding citizens who are thus unlawfully living together, all because the grasping Church
was not willing to do its duty toward the people unless it received a big fee for such services of obligation.
These chapters in Filipino history have not yet
been written. We do not yet know the dialects of
the people well enough to be able to give the inner
depths. Heart histories will be written later; but
we have already told more than is necessary to show
why these people could not longer endure the rule
of Rome and why they became insurrectos against
Spain. Why they later became insurrectos against
the United States also is explained by the fact that
the Filipinos could not distinguish between Spanish
misrule and the promise of a government for the
people of the soil.
This rule of Rome that has caused Spain to lose





IN THE PHILIPPINES              61
these islands is a twentieth century exposure of
what the Romish Church has always been at heart,
for she boasts that she is unchanging and will remain so to the end.





CHAPTER V.


RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
Like the people of Europe, who in the sixteenth
century, protested against the abuses of the Church
of Rome, these people of the Philippine Islands can
descriptively be termed "Protestants."
Like Luther, they are loath to leave the Church
of their fathers; also like Luther, the more intelligent and leading Filipinos are eagerly claiming the
authority of the Bible to be supreme. The comparison does not, however, hold good in all its details, for the reason that the Bible was not so completely suppressed in Europe, especially in England,
in those early sixteenth century days, as it was in
the Philippine Islands up to the moment that Old
Glory floated for the first time over the archipelago.
Never before had it been possible to intelligently
choose the Bible as their guide. As a prominent Filipino leader expressed it, "Who would not be a
Roman Catholic, a Mohammedan or a Buddhist, if
that was the only religion he knew, and was literally
forced to accept at the point of the sword? When
62





IN THE PHILIPPINES


63


a word spoken against Pope or Church meant certain loss and imprisonment, possibly deportation, it
was natural that all should conform, outwardly, at
least, to the Church."
Now that this powerful hand of Rome was removed, it was interesting to visit the provinces,
where we could more completely study the Filipino
in his home.
Scarcely had firing ceased in the Province of Pampanga when our lamented Mr. Leonard P. Davidson
began making tours through the towns and villages
of that most productive and interesting territory.
Less than a month later it was thought possible for
Mr. Davidson to take others with him to assist in
preaching and in music.
We took the Dagupan and Manila railroad for
sixty miles, then took carromatos (small carriages)
to penetrate the interior. It was a wonderful experience, learning to understand the people, holding large meetings in cock-pits, theaters of rude
bamboo construction, or in town halls, buildings of
better and more modern style. More frequently in
the afternoon the largest gatherings were in the
open air, while in the evenings we had smaller meetings in their quaint "nipa shacks."
This whole province had for some time been the
center of a terrible insurrection. The larger build




64    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
ings and churches were -roofless; most places they
were complete ruins. All this destruction of ancient
churches had been the work of Filipinos. These
ruined edifices were a forcible illustration of the
hatred these people had towards the "Frailes"; the
demolished buildings, the chaos of stone and mortar and the shattered windows are mute but eloquent
in expressing the cause of all this devastation. Not
a Fraile (Friar) was to be found in these inland
towns or barrios; the hatred of the people of the
soil made their stay here impossible. What is to
be the result? This is a deeply religious people;
full of emotion and desire to express it in religious
services. How important that they be guided to
a faith in a simple hearted worship, with an open
Bible to help them understand God! We are thankful that our Government has held itself entirely
aloof from all religious parties in carrying out the
principles of our Constitution. Church and State
are entirely separate; liberty of conscience the grand
cornerstone, which nothing may move a jot from
the place given it by the Puritan statesmen who
planned so wisely and so well. All this we realized
to be essential.
These Filipinos, however, have had no past to
help them to understand these fundamental truths,
and therefore have not understood the Americans.





A.... THA... iN. F A....  R.IS  C.RC   W H........ICH......
WASA ETOE  FLPNS










IN THE PHILIPPINES


65


Because our Government refused to drive out the
Friars they believed us to be, like Spain, hand and
glove with the RomiSh Church. They concluded
that, in accepting American sovereignty, they were
simply taking again the yoke of Rome. So they
stood firm in resisting such authority, which, they
believed, would but repeat the weary story of the
past hundreds of years.
The amazement shown by these Filipinos was
most interesting when they learned that, while "El
gobierno" (the Government) refused to drive out
the Spanish Priests (Friars), it would still uphold
the people of the soil in building their own houses
of worship and in worshiping in any church of their
choice. "That no irate Priest could ever again drive
them to the confessional or to mass, unless they
chose to go; and that the Government will give them
municipal cemeteries in which to bury their dead
when the Romish Church refuses a burial. Had it
been possible to explain all this to the people, there
is no doubt that the American-Filipino war would
have been avoided."* It was not until the more
intelligent Filipinos came to comprehend this that
the Federal party was formed. This party sprung
from the better class of Filipinos, and its mission is
"*Rev. L. P. Davidson.





66     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
to explain to the people of the soil what the United
States intends doing for these islands.
The leaders of the Federal party are men of superior intelligence, many having spent years in travel
and study abroad, and they are well fitted to be
the fathers of such a movement. Their countrymen
rally about them more readily than they would about
a foreigner. It is because these more enlightened
Filipinos have gained the ear of the people that it
was possible for us to come on this tour of investigation and teaching. We realized at every turn
that we were on probation, although distrust was
rapidly melting away under the accumulating evidence of the beneficent intentions of our Government. "Old Glory" was getting the upper hand,
and floated protectingly above us.
A few prominent men of the town of Mexico invited us to drive over for a public meeting. Oh!
such a beautiful drive it was-past streams overhanging with palms and bamboos! It was almost
a continuous village all the way, nipa huts lining
the road; great quantities of sugar and tobacco
are raised here. Everyone produces his own maize
(Indian corn), as well as rice and cocoa, pineapples, mangoes, breadfruit, custard apples, pomegranates, bananas, and an abundance of vegetables
of all sorts. We found the cock-pit was to be the





IN THE PHILIPPINES


67


place of meeting; it was made of palm and bamboo, and was a large building which would hold
about twelve hundred people. In the place of the
usual cock-fight we unfolded our American organ.
The place was soon filled with all sorts of Filipino
people; they were so eager to get a close view of
us American ladies that as soon as I began playing
the organ I found myself quite shut in by the crowd.
We distributed hymns on leaflets, each one receiving
a copy, which they afterwards took to their homes.
We taught them such hymns as "Come to the Savior, make no delay," and "Pass me not, 0, gentle
Savior." They are passionately fond of music, and
they sang with a will, and seemed to read easily.
Our missionaries had prayers in Spanish; also reading of the Bible, and both spoke at length. The
interest was intense, not one moving from his place;
it was a time of seed-sowing, and many broke into
the discourse to ask questions, or to supply a Spanish word if our speakers halted for an instant; also,
when the Pampangan interpreters were in the least
at fault in rendering the Spanish into Pampangan,
the more intelligent were very eager to supply the
proper word. Nods of approval, especially from
the more intelligent, were exceedingly encouraging.
After the discourse the questions they asked were





68    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
interesting indeed, showing how they were drinking
it all in and longing for the Gospel which we were
so joyfully bearing to them; then they lingered to
speak to us, wishing to take us by the hand and receive a word of friendly greeting, while many bought
the Bibles and Testaments which we offered them,
and eagerly took the tracts which we freely gave
away. The Alcalde, or head man of the town, was
most pronounced in his approval of our coming, and
sat in a prominent place, not leaving us, but following to the house of the young man who had invited
us to dinner. Here we were well entertained. The
table was very neatly spread, various viands were
brought on in courses. There was chicken cooked
in different ways, as well as soup, fish, salads, olives,
and fruits of many kinds, the menu being completed
by the addition of native confectionery and coffee.
When we had retired to the front room, cigars,
cigarettes and betel-nut were brought. Women
smoke here quite as much as men; they were troubled
that none of us took cigars, and so more fruit was
pressed upon us. Before we left we had prayer and
promised soon to meet again.
Then we were conducted to a most interesting
old Filipino home. It was built after the old Spanish style, and had been in this Filipino family for
ninety years, having descended from father to son.





IN THE PHILIPPINES


69


There were grand stair-cases, broad, elegant salas,
all of beautiful hardwood, exactly like mahogany,
which was magnificently carved; the floors had
always been kept polished, there was no paint anywhere. There were ancestral portraits on the walls.
We asked how it was that this house had escaped
destruction. They replied, "By always offering our
home to the army in power." In turn, the generals
of the insurrectos, and, later, the generals of the
American Army occupied this house; General Grant,
of our army, had lived here for some months. So
the beautiful home had escaped destruction. The
ladies of this home were entitled to the term "ladies,"
having the true instincts of grace and dignity. One
accompanied us on to the next house where we were
asked to call. Here we found quite a different state
of affairs. This, also, was a beautiful old home,
but evidently had suffered much rude treatment
from the different armies. A large family was here
of five sons and five daughters; the mother a good
type of a Filipino woman; the father was then a
prisoner of war held by our army; and the oldest
son had also been a prisoner, but had lately been
pardoned through the influence of some of our officers. While in prison, a private soldier of our army,
who was an earnest Christian, and who spoke some
Spanish, had taken compassion on the young man,





70     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
and had often talked to him about the Protestant
religion and the Bible. He had thus been the means
of conversion of this young Filipino. As soon as
he returned home he began at once teaching his
brothers and sisters, who had eagerly listened, the
consequences being that here was an entire family
already Protestant Christian and ready for more
light. The next to the oldest son had read the
entire Bible through since his brother's return from
prison in October, 1900o, four months previous. Who
among us, in America, ever read the entire Bible
through in four months? The young fellow must
have read night and day to accomplish it, and his
appearance betrayed it. When T referred to Old
Testament stories he could go before me. I could
scarcely keep the tears back as I talked with him,
and his longing for more gave me much joy. He was
quite a musician, and was learning our Moody and
Sankey hymns from a book bought in Manila, and
they were all feasting on the words and tunes so
new to them. It was with intense delight that we
played over such tunes. "The fellowship of kindred
minds i's like to that above." We invited these newly
found friends also to come to Manila.
"What hath God wrought?" was the language of
our thankful hearts. Before we left that town we,
had many more proofs of what the simple, earnest





IN THE PHILIPPINES     7


71


work of one Christian soldier can do; he was a simpie private, but he had turned the whole town Godward. The distribution of the Bible was his strong
point.
While insurrecto fires were still burning, as fast
as a province had taken the oath of allegiance our
Government had established public schools, where
English and the history of the United States are
taught, besides the ordinary elementary studies and
music. The children are most enthusiastic over "The
Star-Spangled I3anner" and "The Red, White and
Blue." They are bound to outdo us old Americans in
their enthusiasm on having become American citizens. That is only a matter of a f ew years. If our
Government lives up to the Constitution our flag
represents., these people, so long abused, will bask in
the sunshine of secure and just government.
It is difficult for us to realize all that has gone
before to prepare these people so eagerly to embrace
the truth we have to offer. For generations thoughtful, true souls longed, with despair in their desire,
for religious liberty, of which they had some faint
ideas., A full knowledge of such matters was not
possi~ble to most of the people. There was no f ree
press, and no books allowed to be circulated that
gave such information. Now and then a traveler
told of countries in Europe and that great Republic





72     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
of America, where the poor had their rights respected, and people were free to worship God as
their consciences dictated.
A noted example of an intelligent and patriotic
Filipino was Dr. Jose Reizal, so dear to the hearts
of his countrymen. Dr. Reizal was a true reformer,
who had his eyes opened to what was possible in
more favored countries by his residence in Europe,
where he had spent some years taking his medical
education. He was a Roman Catholic, but sought
to save his country from the Spanish Friars. He
realized that no true government could exist here
without first expelling the Friars. His was a highly
sensitive nature (a true Filipino), possessing many
brilliant qualities. After seeing for himself the
difference between the people of Europe and his own
oppressed land, he wrote at different times two
novels that were "an expose of the arrogance, the
immorality and despotism of the Friars in their relations with the natives." The English translation
of his first novel is called "Friars and Filipinos."
The second was "El Filibusterismo." The first can
be bought in America. It gives an excellent picture
of the period and of Reizal himself in the character
"Ibarra."  This exposure caused    him  to  be
charged with high treason. All copies of these novels to be found in Manila were seized and burned





IN THE PHILIPPINES    7


73


in a public square by the infuriated Priests. He did
not dare return to his native land; but in his exile
he became the idol of his people. The name "Reizal"
was enough to raise their hopes to the highest
pitch.
This love and reverence of his countrymen were
recognized as most dangerous to the Church. The
Priests were determined to have his blood. To accomplish his arrest, fair promises were made, and
he returned to Manila. It is a long and sad history,
which exposes most completely the false church and
government. The promises for his personal safety
and liberty were not fulfilled when he returned to
his native land. He was enticed from his exile to
prison, and there were repeated failures of promises.
The rise of the people in 1896 was said to be due to
his seditious teachings, although no charges against
him could be proved. What did it matter.? The
Priests had demanded his life, and Spain was too
helpless to refuse the demand.
He who longed for the highest and best for his
country was led from his prison on December 3oth,
1896; at 6 o'clock in the morning. On the Luneta,
in the presence of over two thousand of his countrymen and representatives of Rome, he kneeled, with
his face to the sea, and was shot by Spanish soldiers.
The crowd had witnessed in awed silence this sacri




74     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
fice to priestcraft. The Friars rejoiced over the
end as they thought of the influence of that bright
intellect. They had not studied past history, which
was repeating itself! They had sown the wind, and
what they reaped was the whirlwind!
This story of Reizal is only an intensification of
many others who for love of religious liberty and a
pure government were exiled, imprisoned or killed.
The list of those who were imprisoned for a lifetime or were sent in chains to desolate islands
would be a long and dreary record. Several prominent Filipino gentlemen are my informants. I will
give but a few of this roll of martyrs, who were
wealthy and the brightest intellects among their


countrymen:
Don   Augustin  del la
Rosa,
Don Felipe Buencamino,
Don Cayetano Arrellano,
Don Luis R. Yangco,
Don Pedro Roxas,
Don Dorotes Jose,
Don Mariano Lunijap,
Don Manuel Roxas,


Don Paulus Zamora,
Don Florentine Torres,
Don T. Pardo de Tavera,
Don Tomas Del Rosario,
Don Martin de Ocampo,
Don Ambrosio Flores,
Don Telesfaro Chindian,
Don Manuel Xeres Burgos.


The above men survived the severe treatment.
The following are the names of those who died in





IN THE PHILIPPINES               75
prison or were shot not long before our army arrived in Manila:
Don Domingo Franco,    Don Francisco Roxas,
Don Domingo Abella,    Don Manuel Abella,
Don Lareinzo Lerina,   Don Maximus Tuicencio,
Don Jose Osaris,       Don Mumercano Adriano.
One of my informants remarked: "I could continue for hours writing for you this list."





CHAPTER VI.


THE RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT OF THE FEDERAL PARTY
OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
Early in February, 1901o, the more advanced and
influential Filipinos of Manila and suburbs banded
themselves together as leaders for the masses of
their countrymen, to influence them to lay down
their arms and accept the sovereignty of the United
States.
From these leaders of the Federal party went the
message of our Government that our Constitution
requires the Government to remain neutral on all
religious questions. Liberty of conscience is such
a long step ahead of Filipino experiences of the past
that they can scarcely comprehend it. That they
need no longer bow to the Church of Rome they
cannot believe. As proof of this a section of the
Federal party began to hold evangelical religious
services, to which the wondering Filipinos crowded,
scarcely being able to credit their senses. The
news of these mighty movements among the people spread rapidly.
76





IN THE PHILIPPINES


77


On the first Sunday in February the leaders of
this advanced religious movement held a mass
meeting in the Theater Reizal in Manila. The place
was crowded and the interest was intense. Senor
Buencamino and others of the Federal party led
the people to express themselves definitely as to
their readiness to leave the Church of Rome. The
silent interest of the great audience was intense.
But they awoke to loud enthusiasm when Senor
Buencamino asked if they intended longer to submit to the Pope, Chappelle and the Friars. Each
question was answered by thunders of "No! No!"
The leader went on to speak of the horrors of the
Spanish revolution of 1868, in which thousands
of their countrymen lost their lives fighting for
their rights. He said the Government was ruled
entirely by Priests. Altar and throne were combined. King and Priests formed a brotherhood.
The will of the people was not consulted, and he
urged the substitution of Filipino clericals for the
Friars. When he asked if this was not right the
audience arose and shouted approval. As in the
days of Luther, these people are loath to leave the
Church of their fathers; but, like Luther, they discover that no reform is possible; the radical move
must be to leave Rome.
Following Senor Buencamino our Presbyterian





78     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
missionary, Rev. James B. Rodgers, arose and in
fluent Spanish rapidly 'outlined to that great mass
meeting the central truths of evangelical Christianity, which requires no change in politics, but is
pre-eminently a movement for a personal knowledge
of Christ. It is not anti-Catholic or anti-Friar, but
is a positive movement of people who are tired of
mediation and who seek a personal knowledge of
God.
The attention of the entire mass meeting was intense, and a sharp turn was made for the highest
knowledge that God is sure to own and guide.
The reader will doubtless be shocked to know
that in their warm-hearted enthusiasm these Filipinos felt bound to entertain the American leaders
on the stage, and ordered brought into the theater
by a side door a keg of "ice-cold beer!"-just such
as they see advertised on every side, which the mass
of Americans seem always to be imbibing! Before
the missionaries were aware of what was going on
the "ice-cold beer" was passed! The Filipinos
thought it proper, and took their share, of course.
Our missionaries were too astonished to keep back a
broad smile, though they refused the proffered glass.
Doubtless these same Filipino gentlemen had often
drunk with the Priests and Friars, and why not
now!










..............................  -  ----------





IN THE PHILIPPINES


79


Immediately following the radical expressions of
the leaders of the Federal party a movement was
begun to send members of their party to distant
provinces and islands to influence insurrectos everywhere to lay down arms. Washington's birthday
and the definite declaration of the Federal party
occurred about the same time, and the demonstrations celebrating the former settled the matter for
many who were inclined to demur. The remarkable proceedings of that day are related in the following chapter.
At one of the earlier meetings of the Federal
party an ardent Filipino, Augustin de la Rosa, made
a speech that expresses the opinion of many of the
best of these people. The history of Augustin de
la Rosa is a good illustration of the experience of
many enlightened Filipinos who for years had
longed to free their country from Spanish rule.
Augustin de la Rosa was Presidente of Barrios,
in the suburbs of Manila. In 1896, when the Filipino revolution was imminent, the Spanish thought
to subdue the country by putting in prison the more
intelligent and progressive men among the Filipinos. With several others, Senor de la Rosa was
impri'soned in Santiago-the grim Spanish prison
of old Manila. Shut off from all communication
with the outside world, he did not know the prog




8o     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
ress of events until, with others, he was released a
year later. They were offered their liberty if they
would leave the islands, and they then learned that
the revolution had been going on ever since their
imprisonment. With a colony of those who could
never accept Spanish rule, they started for Hongkong, China, where they proposed to invest their
money and start life anew. This, however, did little to stop the progress of the revolution. Meanwhile Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet in Manila
Bay, American sovereignty was proclaimed in
Cavite, and the deported Filipinos returned from
Hongkong to Cavite.
Aguinaldo sent especially for Augustin, who, on
arriving at Cavite, was put in prison by Aguinaldo,
where he stayed several months. Later, wvhen the
American army advanced into Luzon, Augustin was
set free by the Americans. A short time after, however, he was again imprisoned by the American
Military Governor. This imprisonment lasted two
weeks only. Augustin, having satisfied himself that
the Americans were true men who lived up to their
promises, ardently espoused their cause. When our
missionaries reached Manila, Augustin was ready
to assist them. He had suffered long, and was
eager for peace and for God. The Husbandman
had been preparing the soil for the seed to take root





IN THE PHILIPPINES


in his heart. He accepted Christ, and is a leader
in the new Protestant Church. Senor Augustin was
also one of the charter members of the Federal
party.
Following the earlier expressions of Federal
leaders, Filipino women also came forward to use
their influence for peace, and "The Woman's Peace
League" of Manila was formed, being composed of
American and Filipino ladies, Mrs. Judge Taft being chosen with Constancia Poblete to lead their respective followers among American and Filipino
women. Mrs. James B. Rodgers, however, has
borne the burden and heat of the day, having with
a faithful few stood at her post of service with never
a backward glance.
It would be difficult to say how much influence
the Woman's Peace League has had in bringing
about the much desired end. Soon after the celebration of Washington's birthday General MacArthur received an urgent request from the Filipino
women of the Peace League to grant them passes
that they might send a party of Filipino ladies to
entreat the insurrecto General Trias to give up the
war. Their request was granted; and a letter was
sent by them to the General offering liberal terms.
If he would surrender unconditionally he should
have thirty pesos for every gun, and for every gun





82     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
surrendered a political prisoner should be granted
release. Further, he should name the prisoners who
would thus be released.
When the time of starting came and the Filipino
women, many of whom had never been out of
Manila in their lives, faced the possibilities of hardship and danger of this journey to the mountains,
many grew faint at heart and urged that a man be
chosen to represent them by carrying letters (personal) from them to the General they desired to
reach. This plan was adopted, and the man was
sent. The answer he got from the General was
dubious. He said: "I will see what I will do. If
the women will come, I will possibly listen to them."
So the man was obliged to return unsuccessful. The
women did not know what action to take. This
time a smaller number was chosen, and they started,
going first to Cavite by boat, at which point they
would have to take country carriages to the mounttains. Manwhile the insurgent General repented of
his ungallant answer, and decided to start off at
once to surrender, and, if possible, meet the ladies,
thus preventing the long and dangerous journey to
his mountainous rendezvous. Of course he must
send messengers ahead. The white flag must be
hoisted and messages of peace must be sent in advance to the American General, who lay in his way.





IN THE PHILIPPINES


83


This he did, meeting our American officers, who
advanced with their army to take his sword. The
ladies did not know that they were to be met more
than half way by the insurrecto general. It was
a time of rejoicing and happy surprises. The ladies
were entertained by the Americans and the insurrectos alike. No longer insurrectos, the darkskinned soldiers mingled in a happy "reunion" with
the Americans, as the Spanish are pleased to call
meetings.
General Trias assured the ladies that their letters
had been the powerful factor in making them yield.
The rebels would yield to women, but not to men!
This was considered the most telling surrender
that had yet been made; for this man, General
Trias, had the confidence of all the Filipinos.
General Trias gave his sword to the American
General, but his belt and daggers he surrendered to
the women of "La Liga Feminina," who came
beseeching him to lay down his arms. These daggers, which are with us, are very beautiful specimens, their ivory handles being elaborately ornamented with gold. We rejoiced, for we saw the
sun through the clouds and the storm had passed
its cricis.
The last and greatest insurrecto, General Aguinaldo, still refused to listen to all messages urging





84     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
his surrender, when General Funston, by well-laid
plans, surprised and captured the leader and brought
him to Manila, all of which, however, has become
historic. The Federal party leaders have felt much
chagrined that Aguinaldo should thus have ended
his career. An English lady and myself called to
see Aguinaldo in the little house granted him near
General MacArthur's bungalow. As we rode down
the beautiful avenue my friend said: "What an
enormous amount of faith it must take for these
Filipinos to be as cheerful as they are in accepting
American rule, after the stories with which the
Spanish Priests have been filling their ears of the
terrible way you Americans treated the American
Indians; how those people to whom America belonged were cheated out of their lands, and driven
back, from mountain to mountain, and river to river,
till now there is only a handful of them left to represent the great tribes that roamed those wilds. It
was no wonder that Aguinaldo found an eager following when he proposed to withstand American
sovereignty! For the Priests assured the Filipinos
that a like fate awaited them, and why not die
bravely fighting such a foe, for surely extermination would soon follow if they gave up to such a
power."





IN THE PHILIPPINES


85


At the entrance of the grounds where the distinguished captive is guarded we found armed
American soldiers, who challenged our entrance.
We explained that we had been giving the Scriptures to all political prisoners in Manila, and that
we wished then to present a Bible to Aguinaldo.
After some delay we were allowed to enter.
We found the insurrecto chief a genuine Filipino
in appearance. He comes from well educated parentage. His career has been a sad one, and has
left its impress on his face. We chatted pleasantly
of many things. I asked him if he was interested
in the movements of the Filipino Federal party,
especially that branch holding large meetings in the
Theater Reizal. He replied that he had heard of the
meetings, but did not know what the results would
be. He ended by saying: "Veremos por los hechos"
(literal translation, "We will see by the works").
"By their works ye shall know them."
Evidently we are still on probation, but our Infallible Leader will not allow us to be made ashamed.
The works will be proved by the blessings following. What a grand beginning is now being made.
When 'we presented a Spanish Bible to Aguinaldo
and the Gospels in Tagalog, my friend, who speaks
Spanish fluently, said: "You know that whoever
reads this book, and has faith in its zvonderful





86     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
words, can never endt in being a slave!" His sad
face was radiant as he thanked us over and over for
the treasures, and he assured us that he would begin
reading at once.
The unassuming personality of this noted Filipino,
his quiet exterior and mental qualities, made him an
acknowledged leader. He took the oath of allegiance
to the United States at an early date, and is using
his influence to bring his followers to take the same
step.





CHAPTER VJJ.
WASHINGTON'19S BIRTHDAY-1901 AN ERA IN FILIPINO HISTORY.
The American banners were floating over Cavite
and Manila and many towns and barrios of the
interior provinces. President McKinley was again
to fill the highest position of the great Republic.
Filipinos realized it to be a settled fact that the
Stars and Stripes have come to these islands to stay.
Although insurrecto, camps were still in the mountains, from which raids were frequently made on
our soldier boys in the plains below, the thinking
Filipinos were getting acquainted with us, and
had become convinced of the beneficent intents of
our Government, having organized "El Partido
Federal," of which we have already spoken.
All over the provinces, in town and barrios, school
children for weeks had been preparing for a grand
fiesta. It is quite in their line to indulge in fiestas.
This vWas to be an "Americana Fiesta," for it was the
birthday of the Father of the great Republic. The
soldiers on guard said that everyone must put out
the American flag, and "Old Glory" is very pop87





88     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
ular. Some ingeniously'sewed the stripes of doubtful hues of purple and white, frequently with the
blue field of stars in the lower and wrong corner,
or possibly the stars are in a crimson field. No
matter, it is a flag, the best that can be made.
"When even such attempts are imposible, we see in
front of tiny nipa shacks a white emblem. That is
good! The flag of peace! On inspection we find
it is a "Pina Panuelo" (woman's neckerchief). So
all the shacks are provided with flags, and the school
children have invited everyone, great and small, to
come to "La Fiesta Americana."
The Colonel of the regiment and his staff sit in
state, while the school children are seated before
the American officials. Parents and friends of the
school sit in every available nook, and the improvised hall, which is none other than the school
house, is packed. A Filipino orchestra in the veranda discourses sweet music, and everyone is in
holiday attire. The American schoolmaster has
been hard pushed to bring things to this satisfactory
climax. One after another the little ones come
bowing or courtesying up to the Colonel, and speak
their little pieces in Spanish, which is promptly
praised by the vigorous clapping of hands. Now
come the larger boys and girls with their more





IN THE PHILIPPINES


89


elaborate attempts. Many are in English, and relate to Washington's birthday.
One boy says: "I come to you representing the
'coming Filipino,' who rejoices with you to-day
that Washington lived. We will not mourn the
broken past. With the American Government as
our best friend, and God above us our Father, we
shall make each difficulty we surmount a steppingstone to help us reach our goal." Praise God for
the "Coming Filipino!" After all have sung or
spoken their "pieces," the prominent Filipino men
come forward to eulogize our great patriot. In English, well enunciated, the Alcalde (head man of the
town) says: "Washington is not dead, but lives
to-day in the principles of liberty of the great Republic, whose father he was. Let us not speak of
an American people and a Filipino people; but let
us all claim the high privilege of being alike citizens of the great American Republic." We looked
into their dark faces and praised God for the light
shining through the clouds!"
In Manila there were most elaborate demonstrations. The Manila Times says: "The demonstration by the Federal party on the Luneta in honor
of Washington's birthday is an event that must go
down in the history of these islands. It marked the
beginning of a new epoch in that history. Never





90


OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL


perhaps has so great a crowd assembled on this spot
-this spot where Reizal and many others were sacrificed for the very principles Washington represented."
The sea of human faces stretched away and away.
The air was filled with the music of a dozen bands.
Different divisions of the Federal party came from
every district of the city to meet on the Lunetafrom Tondo, Binondo, Trozo, Malate, Pasay, Ermita, Santa Ana, San Felipe, Sampaloc, and many
others arrived from different points, each party with
bands and flags and transparencies. Americans were
in evidence, but the mass of the people were Filipinos. The Military and Civil Commission were
prominent. Dr. Pedro de Tavero opened the ceremonies. After some preliminary remarks he said:
"The Federal party desires to make a public manifestation of its existence to-day. Certainly no more
fitting opportunity could be found on which to declare to Americans and Filipinos our political existence than this day commemorating Washington's
birth. The glorious figure of Washington does not
call to mind a triumphant conqueror, nor an omnipotent sovereign; but rather that of a man who
was and always will be great-the type of the
American people. By his justice, honesty, and all
the other virtues, the citizens of the United States





i   0v
It0
1ZN










IN THE PHILIPPINES


91


have formed their beautiful Constitution. A people
who venerates as its hero this kind of a man cannot
plant its sovereignty in any part of the world with
the object to dominate, but only to fulfill its historic
mission of extending among men the blessings of
liberty.
"We are conscious that in acknowledging American sovereignty, we do not perform a servile act.
Gentlemen! this name of Washington that represents so much that is noble has up to this present
time been little known in the Philippine Islands."
To this remarkable speech General Wright of
the American Civil Service Commission responded
at length. In brief General Wright said: "The
pre-eminence of Washington was not due to his being a great soldier, nor to his skill as a diplomat.
The armies he commanded were poorly equipped;
the battles he fought were few; the diplomacy he
used was learned in the hard school of experience.
But he had a robust common sense; an unfaltering
resolution which disaster could not daunt; also, that
dignity and majesty of presence which all acknowledged., The greatest reason of his power, however,
was his grand moral character, his love of justice,
his reverence for law, and above all, his regard for
the rights of all men! which lifted him high above





92     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
all other leaders. He 'lived in that pure atmosphere!"
Space forbids the record of other thrilling
speeches that referred to the gradual growth of the
American people, for 1776 was not their birthday.
They had been slowly growing to be a people for
two hundred years. The people had been in training in the severest school. Living in a wilderness
neglected by the kings and the parliament of England, they had developed into strong men. In 1776,
they had matured, and were equal to forming a
constitution and of supporting it. There was a
long list of shining names; "There were giants in
those days"; but Washington stood head and shoulders above them all. This Filipino people need to
grow in order to be equal to self-government; and,
no doubt, in time they will be fully equal to this
responsibility.
At the conclusion of the speeches, the band of
the 34th Infantry played "The Star Spangled Banner," and the immense concourse uncovered their
heads to pay respect to "Old Glory."
The Manila Times was right. This was an era,
an epoch in Filipino history. We need no seer or
prophet to declare that under the "Star Spangled
Banner," which can wave only above a people pos




IN THE PHILIPPINES              93
sessing liberty of conscience, this new era will develop a nation that will surprise the world.
A grand banquet with speeches that were most
helpful and suggestive was given in the evening,
and with good cheer and a better mutual understanding the memorable day came to an end.





CHAPTER VIII.


MORE VISITS TO THE PROVINCES.
For many years prior to the American conquest
of these isles the unsettled condition of the country
had made it unsafe for European ladies to go outside of Manila, therefore it was not surprising that
when in March, 1901, myself and friend made
several tours into the provinces, the Filipino residents were greatly surprised, especially when on
one occasion it was necessary for one lady to take a
ride of ten miles into the interior, in a little carromato, unattended. In many cases the observers
called to their friends to come quickly to see the
retreating carriage as it went jumping and swaying
over the uneven road. Curious bamboo bridges
swayed and sank under the weight of the tiny horse
and carriage. However, none of them broke as I
fully expected. The cry of my heart was, "Dear
Lord, did you give the angels charge as you promised?" and the still small voice answered, "They
shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash
thy foot against a stone!" With a heart full of
sincere thankfulness for the sense of God's tender
94










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I L...............................................................





IN THE PHILIPPINES


95


care, I rode on and on, by nipa shacks with their
gardens of oranges, pomegranates and cocoa trees,
between profuse growth of bananas, mangoes and
cocoanut palms.
The broad streams of over-hanging plumes of
tall bamboo, the quaint bancos sailing down the
rivers loaded with all manner of produce, the thrifty
rice paddies, and still more luxuriant sugar-cane
fields, with here and there the waving maize (Indian corn), convinces me that the stories told of
the marvelous productive resources of the islands had not been overdrawn. When one considers also that the present methods of cultivating
pursued are identical with those used one hundred
or one hundred and fifty years ago, one is still further convinced that the best is yet to come. The
old Romish churches in ruins, the soldiers always in
evidence, comfortably housed in old convents or
better class of Filipino dwellings, remind one that
Old Glory and "Americanos" have come to stay,
and in time will establish in these islands so far
from Washington the institutions symbolized by
our flag.
The, shadows lengthen, the nipa houses become
more closely crowded together and the town comes
clearly in sight. In this case the church is not entirely destroyed. The old clock-tower with its chime





96     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
of bells is still on duty, although under American
rule. While I linger a moment to inquire of a
band of soldiers where my missionary friend is
staying, a crowd of women and children gather.
Everyone knows just where the "Senorita Pastora,"
as they style her, is to be found, and I am conducted
in state by the friendly crowd to the very house.
Here the people, whose guest I am to be, come out
to meet me, and insist that I have a cup of "chocolate" at once. This is the real article, unadulterated and grown on the low cocoa tree. It is prepared by each family for their own use, is served
in small cups, and is very satisfying, for it is thick
and rich. It is eaten with a spoon or by dipping
the toasted strips of sweet bread into it.
After a brief stop here my friend and I started
off together. Our destination proved to be an ermita or chapel, where prayer is made by the people.
It is an immense open building. Tall rude images
hang above the altar or stand on either side. Here
we saw several women kneeling, counting their
beads. Tall candles cast a weird, sad light through
the building.
As we felt a hesitancy about opening the folding
organ and beginning services, the people explained
to us that this is not a church, but is an ermita
or chapel. So after some debate we began the ser




IN THE PHILIPPINES      9


97


vice, the crowd gathering rapidly. There were no
seats except the one at the organ. Printed hymn
sheets were distributed, and the people sang with a
will, for my friend had already conducted a service
in that place.  Two hundred faces were turned
toward us in earnest inquiry, as the Bible was read
and prayer offered, with a Gospel talk following.
There were mothers with babies at their breast,
children from their play, and men with uncovered
heads. As the darkness came on, they produced
candles that were held aloft by patient hands. The
living candelabra seemed a type of what we must
be, living torchbearers for Christ, for did He not
say, "Ye are the light of the world?" Let Him
take the place at our sacred altar of the rudie
images of saints and the Virgin. Let His sacred
hand touch our bowed heads, and His unspeakable
peace fall on us!
Thankful tears gathered in my eyes as we sang,
"Thou my everlasting portion,
More than friend or life to me,
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior Let me walk with Thee.
Close to, Thee, close to Thee."
A benediction fell upon the wondering people.
They felt His presence! In the gathering darkness,
we rode back to the home of our host, the full moon





98     OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
just rising as we reached the town. They are waiting supper for us. The Presidente and two of his
council, true Filipinos, came to sup with us. This
Presidente was formerly the head man of Aguinaldo's cabinet. He says little, but is a most intelligent and close observer. He listens with graceful
deference. You feel all the time, however, that
you are being studied, or weighed in the balance.
It is possible that my friend and myself were the
first American ladies he had met so closely.
As we were finishing supper, we heard music. It
was the Filipino band come to serenade us. After
giving them the pleasure of doing us such honor,
our host invited them in, and we found they were
anxious for a Gospel meeting. Glad of the opportunity, by the people's invitation, we spent an hour in
Bible reading and explanations, answering questions and singing the hymns the Filipinos love so
much. Before leaving all gave us a hearty handshake and words of welcome to their town.
We spent three days visiting in the adjacent
towns (often being called to see invalids, who have
lain long with obstinate diseases and scarcely any
medical care), or responding to invitations to hold
services to explain the Bible, a book entirely new
to them. At every large gathering we sold from
one hundred to two hundred portions of the Scrip




IN THE PHILIPPINES


99


tures. In a few cases, some who have more than
ordinary intelligence had read parts of the Testament in Latin; but they had never entered into a
real understanding of its teaching.
Before we bid good-bye to the sincere hospitality
of these warm-hearted Filipinos, we must get a
closer view of the inner working of the woman's
sphere in the home. Our host is secretary to the
Presidente of the town and its barrios (or villages
crowded together). He has a gentle, intelligent
face. His mother is an elderly lady with white hair,
a gentle-woman, with the instincts of a true lady.
The pretty little wife, too, fills her place in the
home, where three children are her care. The servants who are numerous seem to be well-trained,
polishing the open bamboo floors with banana
leaves, doing the washing and ironing and cooking,
besides helping the mother in the weaving; for
there are always two or three looms in working
order in every house.
At daybreak, we hear the pedals of the loom, as
they are worked by the foot of the old lady. She
seems to enjoy this work. By the large open window she quietly throws the shuttle in and out of
the shining cinnimi, or hemp fibre. The fibre on
the shuttle is as fine as a hair, and as strong as a
much larger thread.





ioo    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
There are many varieties of texture, some so
sheer as to be transparent. Others are more substantial and durable. In this torrid climate, these
tissues that cover, but do not cling, are certainly
most suitable. The more elegant varieties have
the appearance of silk. Many women with a slender purse earn many pesos (Mexican dollars) a
month, weaving and exquisitely embroidering this
silk-like cloth.
In the privacy of their little "nipa shacks" this
womanly work is done. Some neighbor gathers the
work from many "casas," and carries it to the
larger towns for sale. Truly these women are
models of industry and thrift. As American women
would sit and and knit or sew, so these Filipino
ladies sit at the loom, weaving the beautiful sheer
silky cloth, more like a gauze or chiffon. This
gauze can be washed like linen. It cannot be torn
and does not fade. Perhaps a serving maid will
embroider this cloth on a frame in the most artistic
pattern to be used as a veil or the graceful square
which the ladies of the house throw over the head
when going abroad, especially to church. She pins
the square to her hair so that one point comes over
her forehead, and the rest falls in graceful folds
over her shoulders. The neck and large flowing
sleeves of the "camisa" (the woman's dress waist).





IN THE PHILIPPINES


IOI


must also be embroidered, as well as the bottom of
her white skirt, which must have a deeper cast. This
is all done in the home by the ladies themselves or
their maids.
The house-keeping is simple, but absorbs much
of the women's time. They raise the chickens which
are largely used as food in this country. Eggs are
also prominent at every meal. The maids and men
servants clean the rice as it is brought from the
fields. This is done at night so as to utilize the
cool of the day. Generally four or six menservants
and maidservants, armed with pounders, after the
pattern of those used in mortars in the East, are
assembled around the bowl, which is scooped out
of the large-sized trunk of a hardwood tree. In
this, possibly a bushel of rice still covered with its
tenacious brown sheath is placed. A native violin
or mandolin is in the hands of another servant. The
music begins; first one, then two, and finally all
four or six are pounding briskly. By the help of
the music they keep time, and do not clash or strike
one another's pounder. They enter into it as if it
were sport, once in ten minutes taking a breathing
time, While the music still goes on and on. Even
this music has its minor key, as all native music
has. Possibly in twenty minutes or half an hour
the rice is cleaned and ready for the table. The





102   OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
coffee must be roasted and pounded in a stone mortar for breakfast. This coffee is of a rare variety,
similar to Moca.   The cocoa berries must be
gleaned from the cocoa-tree in the garden. These
also must be pounded in the mortar and made into
balls ready for the afternoon chocolate, to be drunk
with sweet cake or bread. All nature combines to
help these people. The water is alive with all manner of fish, easily caught with hook or net.
There are large plantations of sugar cane, and
rice is provided them from their own paddies; with
cocoa and coffee in their own gardens; with mangoes, bananas and oranges to be had for the plucking. Is it any wonder that these people have the
name of being a very easy, happy-go-lucky race?
With abundance of tobacco, men and women alike
smoke all day. Their clothing is made in their own
homes; therefore they never need go shopping for
food or clothes.
Let us breathe a loving prayer, that with the incoming hurry and bustle of American civilization,
these simple people may not lose the charm of their
sequestered life. Oh! that our coming to these
islands may only mean lasting and real benefits;
and not useless luxuries, or a higher civilization
with less comfort and more anxiety.





CHAPTER IX.


DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE.
It is probable that proportionate to the area the
Philippine Islands have a larger number of distinctly
different peoples than any other territory of the same
size. Moreover, they each speak a different language. This diversity extends from the highly intelligent Filipino of the better type, who is a man of
refinement and education, speaking at least two European languages, besides several of the dialects of
his native land, to the lowest order, the aborigine,
or Negrito, who knows only his native tongue, and
lives in the mountains with no better home than
many of the lower animals. He never cultivates the
soil, but roams about the mountains, eating fish,
game, roots and wild rice. The Negritos are very
light of foot, being able to overtake the deer, which
roams the forests in herds.
The gulf to be spanned between these utterly different'people is a wide one, but is bridged by several
other classes, which are alike most interesting.
The Negritos are found in the mountains of almost every populated Island of this group. They
103





104    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
are very much like the African negro in appearance,
but have less intellect and are quite below the average African in most other respects. They have
never been conquered and have a religion not unlike
the American Indians. They fight their enemies
with bows and poisoned arrows. The wooden shields
they carry in war are large and fancifully decorated.
The Negritos are often stolen by other natives and
carried to the plains to become the slaves of their
more civilized neighbors. They are often seen in
the provinces and in Manila as servants, their curly
matted hair making    them  conspicuous. When
trained they become good servants. The usual price
paid for such slaves is about thirty dollars, Mexican currency. Of course under "Old Glory" the
Negrito slave will receive his freedom! And when
he understands the Gospel he will wake to a new
being, for "The entrance of Thy word giveth light!"
Another race of aborigines is the Gaddanes, in
the northwest part of Luzon. They are a very warlike tribe. When the "Flame of the Forest," or
Fire Tree, is in bloom, the young Gaddane's "fancy
lightly turns to thoughts of love." To prove his
bravery and manliness to the father of his chosen
lady he arms himself with spear and bolo and goes
forth to scalp as many of his enemies as possible, to
present to her worthy sire. The flowers of the










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IN THE PHILIPPINES


1o5


"Flame of the Forest" tree are therefore a sign to all
enemies to be wary.
The Igorrotes are also mountain people, who have
never been civilized nor yielded allegiance to Spain.
They are a higher type than the Negritos or Gaddanes and have a better physique and straight hair.
There are several branches of the Igorrote family.
Their treatment of the dead is interesting. The
friends make a feast, using the property of the dead
man for the purpose. When well feasted they dance
about the sitting corpse, with wild chants and cries
to the unseen to take his soul to paradise. After a
suitable amount of such expressions of care for his
soul, they bury him and the obsequies are complete.
The Igorrotes have ideas of acquiring wealth, and
have successfully worked some gold mines in the
mountains not far from Banguet, near Vigan, where
our Government proposes to open a sanitarium for
Americans during the heated months. Igorrote gold
mining is of the crudest order. The mountain is entered by large openings. The rock is disintegrated
quartz. This is crushed by rolling a large boulder
over it. The pulverized rock is then washed in a
bark pan, easily obtained. The successful miner
finds the golden grains in small quantities, as he
does not understand the science of properly following up a vein.





io6    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
Americans have already started a mining camp
near these Igorrote gold mines.
Another tribe of these untamed mountain people
are. the Elongotes, who are like the Igorrotes in
some respects, but are a very short people, thick-set
and sturdy. Some of these people are not more than
four feet tall when full grown.
Many of these mountain people eat dogs in preference to other animals. They will go to a village
below the mountains and capture all the dogs unfortunate enough to run into their hands, carrying
them off to their mountain fastnesses.
Another class of fierce mountain people are the
Ladrones (Spanish for "robbers"), who live by pillage. They are found in the mountains, as well as
the marshes of the low lands, and have been the terror of the better classes for ages. The nipa swamps,
not far from many large towns all over the Provinces, have from time immemorial suffered ravages
from this lawless tribe.
As soon as the new railroad, which is well under
way, is finished from Vigan to Banguet, we shall
be going to those mountains in the north to pass the
hot months, and will find it possible to get better
acquainted with our aboriginal people and give them
our Bible.





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IN THE PHILIPPINES


107


Deeds, however, will speak louder to these wild
men and with more meaning than words. To live
true lives before them will be the best proof to these
people of the sincerity of our words.
It is yet early to speak definitely of the many
tribes of people in the islands of this group to the
far south. The Islands of Mindanao and Sulu are
especially interesting, not only because of their natural beauty, but because of the Mussulmen who inhabit them. These Mohammedans have many of the
peculiarities of all people who follow Mohammed,
the "Great Prophet." Wherever this religion flourishes the people are peculiarly artful. These Philippine Mohammedans are cruel and do not aspire
to education, as we find the inhabitants of Luzon
are doing. The root of their language is Sanscrit
mixed with Arabic, which is similar to the language
of the Mohammedans of India. They worship Jehovah, but teach that Mohammed is higher than
Jesus Christ. The religious ceremonies peculiar to
all Mohammedan followers are found here, such as
the fasts and feasts, the long prayers, the festivities
at the weaning of children, the hired mourners at the
funerals-all in strict accordance with Mohammedan
ideas.
The Spaniards never succeeded in fully conquer




io8   OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
ing these Mohammedans, although at different periods they have held them in partial subjection.
They are in appearance not unlike the Mohammedans of British India, and use the Arabic language
in religious rites and books. The women dress like
Indian Mohammedans in bright red and green, with
a profusion of jewelry. The leader of these people
is known as the Sultan, and his wives as the Sultanas. The warm seas in the region of the Islands
are rich in "Mother of Pearl," and the beautiful
white "pearl of great price." The Sultan claims all
pearls beyond a certain size, so the larger and more
elegant pearls are his booty from the pearl- divers.
The smaller pearls are sold in Manila markets for a
very moderate sum.
We have not as yet been able to investigate the
possibility of sending missionaries and Bibles to
these people, nor has our Government fully taken
possession; but all that is sure to follow quickly.
We have lately entered into a treaty with the Sultan, and followed out somewhat the methods Spain
used, in granting the Sultan a subsidy, with the understanding that the United States is a protectorate.
The first American soldiers who landed in the Sultan's domain came before any definite treaty had
been signed. The Sultan said to his armed men,





IN THE PHILIPPINES19


109


"Go and kill those Christians." The armed Moros,
went, but presently returned, saying to the Sultan,
"We did not kill those men. They are not Christians! They are Americans!" We are not quite
sure whether this is a compliment or not. When
judge Taft and our civil commission stopped at Joob,
the capital, where the Sultan lives, April, 1901, the
commissioner sent messengers ashore to say to the
Sultan, "That the American commission were in the
ships in the bay and wanted the Sultan to come out
to see them!"
The Sultan was not pleased, and replied: "I am
here in my palace, let the Americans come to see
me!
Nothing daunted, our politic commission replied:
"We cannot come to the Sultan, but we hope he will
honor us and allow us to fire seventeen guns in honor
of his Royalty." This was too much for the Sultan.
He came to visit the American ships and the commission and received the salute of seventeen guns.
Let us remember that these Mors, so little removed
from barbarians, are now our children. Easily
pleased with trifles, let us beware how we trifle with
them.
It is not possible to give, within the limits of this
book, much of interest and importance regarding the





ino    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
possibilities of increasing the products that are already so abundant, nor of the treasures of the ground
in coal and gold mines, nor of the immensely valuable treasure in the forests, which supply such vast
amounts of rare and beautiful woods. Neither can
we stop to dwell on the interesting topic of the wonderful volcanoes, of which there are several now active; nor will the limited scope of this volume allow
us to linger to speak of the influences electric, which
are so pronounced here, producing the devastating
typhoon, and many other kindred phenomena, nor
the frequent earthquakes that remind one that the
molten depths from which these mighty throes come,
are most active in their immense seas of subterranean
fires. It is exceedingly restful and reassuring that
"He hath measured the waters in the hollow of His
hand, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the
hills in a balance!" That mighty One stands pledged
to care for the minutest detail which concerns His
servants who depend on Him.





CHAPTER X.


THE FIRST FRUITS OF AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY.
Many pages of this modest little book are necessarily filled with the recital of the agonies of a people who, for centuries, had blindly groped for deliverance from oppression. How delightful, in these
closing pages, to be able to record the changed conditions, and give the reader a glimpse of a new order
of things, that with leaps and bounds carries us on
to see the probabilities in the near future of a new
Filipino race.
In the policy of President McKinley toward the
Philippine Islands, "the gospel of kindliness" has
gendered faith in America and Americans, but death,
in its most dramatic form, has suddenly removed him
from us. "In the twinkling of an eye he has been
placed beside Washington and Lincoln, the greatest
of his predecessors. He has been canonized by the
united Jove of all the people."
The world began to realize that the United States
has become a first-class power, when in the SpanishAmerican war, as well as in the episode in Pekin,
"our President had been able to pitch the world's
III





112    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
concert in a higher key, and to make the United
States the moral leader of the nations."
His successor, President Roosevelt, immediately
made public his intention to continue, "absolutely unbroken, the policies of President McKinley." These
policies were distinctly outlined in President McKinley's last speech, the scope of which leads on to
new ventures of magnificent magnitude.
"America's exclusiveness is to be a thing of the
past." The American nation has entered its majority. Our statesman outlined the work of the new
century, when he said, "We must encourage our
merchant marine. We must have more ships under
the American flag, built and manned and owned by
Americans."
With our long line of frontage on the two great
oceans, and the possibility of leading ocean traffic for
2,000 miles into the interior of our continent,
through the St. Lawrence river and the Great Lakes,
that Merchant Marine would be able to carry exports, directly from the sources of production, to
any part of the world.
The coal of the Philippines will be needed by that
Merchant Marine as it sails to the far East. The
rich treasures of lumber, and still more varied and
valuable agricultural products of the Philippines,
can be carried by our ships to the center of our con




IN THE PHILIPPINES


113


tinent. Thus does the prophetic speech of our statesman, in his last utterance, vividly outline our near
future.
It was our privilege to attend a great assembly at
the California State University of Berkeley, when
the funeral of President McKinley was being solemnized. The largest building on the campus, seating over 3,000 students, was crowded to its utmost
capacity.
Many excellent addresses were made, in which our
lamented President was eulogized. When the last
speaker who addressed us said, "It is fitting in this
hour of our grief and retrospect of the past to say
something also of the man who has come to fill the
Presidential Chair. Someone has said, in reviewing
President Roosevelt's speech at Minneapolis before
election, 'That it was pitched on such a high key
that men of average character could never hope to
reach such an exalted plane.' " The speaker then said,
"If President Roosevelt's ideal of American manhood is so far above the average, the only way to satisfy him and the American nation will be for us to
rise to that higher plane and fulfill our destiny by
being remarkable."
It was so ordained that our present leader ii
Washington had outlined the Philippine policy
months before the reins of government were put in





114   OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
his hands. He says, "In the Philippine Islands we
have brought peace, and we are giving them freedom
and self-government as they could never, under any
conceivable conditions, have obtained, had we left
them to sink into a welter of blood and confusion,
or to become the prey of some strong tyranny, without or within. We are not trying to subjugate a
people, we are trying to develop them, and make
them a law-abiding, industrious and educated people,
and eventually we hope a self-governing people."
The recent outbreak in Samar is but an example of
what may, for the present, be expected in isolated
islands or provinces. Firm military rule in many
districts will be for a time necessary to protect the
people, as well as our Government, from guerrilla
leaders.
The best estimates of the Filipino come from
our officials. General MacArthur, when speaking
of the Filipino says, "Human nature is not at its
best held up at the muzzle of a loaded gun." Let
us add, it is only since the coming in of 19o01 that
we have been able to study the Filipino any distance from the gun's muzzle.
General MacArthur also says, "I gave two functions while in Manila, at which I,ooo Filipinos were
each time present. The occasions were quite equal
in manner and dignity to a reception at the White





IN THE PHILIPPINES


115


House. The cosmopolitan Filipino is as clever, polished and courteous an individual as one can meet
anywhere."
Early in 19o01 General McArthur issued a proclamation, clearly defining the ethics of modern warfare. This proclamation enlightened conditions that
had previously been barbaric. It was, indeed, a humanitarian effort to make these people understand
the necessities of these restrictions; also it clearly defined the necessities for all belligerents to speedily lay
down arms. Ninety days was given as the limit of
forbearance; if insurgent armies did not voluntarily
surrender inside of that time, they forfeited their
freedom. It would only be the clemency of the Government that would shield them from deportation or
long imprisonment.
It was a protective measure to capture these highheaded insurrectors in their mountain fastnesses.
Thus it came to pass that it was a frequent occurrence to see large bands of prisoners of war being
marched into the streets of Manila to the Spanish
prisons. In the early part of 19o01 a series of such
surrenders and captures occurred. Those who voluntarily surrendered were immediately given their
freedom, but there were between 5,000 and 6,000,
who had been captured, who were detained in several
large prisons in and near Manila.





116    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
It was our fortune to live near one of the largest
of these prisons. Daily when passing we saw the
men idly walking about the open court yards. Involuntarily our sympathy went out to them, for we
realized that these men were not criminals, but had
forfeited their liberty, and often their fortunes, for
their country. It was a case of misunderstanding.
Had they been able to comprehend that American
sovereignty meant religious freedom, and, in the
end, self-government, there need never have been a
shot fired. What could one American woman do to
show sympathy, and truly help them to understand
the difficult situation?
The American soldiers on guard were questioned,
"Have these prisoners anything to read; could they
read if books were given them?" "Yes, most of
them can read, and would be grateful for any such
attention." Surely nothing would be more of a surprise, and help them to better understand the changed
conditions under Old Glory, than to give them portions of the Scriptures.
"The Proboste" (general in charge) was sought
to gain permission to thus serve the insurrecto prisoners. He demanded that we produce exact copies
of the books we designed to donate, and then we
were asked to swear that these, and only these, were
to be given.










21~
-A0..............................  ------ - ------- -





IN THE PHILIPPINES


ii7


The precious little booklets were simply translations of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, in seven
different languages. Tagalog gospels, for those who
would best understand the sacred book in their own
languages. Illocano, for the Ilocos, Bysian, Pampangan, Pangasinan, Bocol and Spanish completed
the list of the different translations, then ready for
distribution. The whole Bible in Spanish was easily
obtained. In the other dialects, however, we only
had translations of two, or at the most four, different gospels, which were bound separately.
In these prisons were all grades of Filipino men,
from the semi-barbarian of the mountains, who could
understand only his own mountain dialect, to the
cultured Filipino of the cities, who spoke and read
the Spanish fluently, as well as the dialect peculiar
to his province.
It was God's way to rapidly distribute the precious word so long denied these people. Before we
could put in each prisoner's hand a single gospel,
General McArthur had begun the granting of pardons to several hundred each day. By July, 1901,
all these men had taken the oath of allegiance to
the United States, and were on their way to their
homes in distant islands and provinces. It was like
putting these tiny seeds singly in fallow ground,
not sowing broadcast, but placing seed by seed in





118 OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
isolated spots fifty miles apart. So each man went
rejoicing in his freedom, carefully carrying the tiny
gospel in his bosom, or in his small bundle that contained his earthly effects. Thus it came to pass, their
capture and brief imprisonment resulted in the carrying to isolated places in all the 1,200 islands, the
foretaste of what we pray may soon be a fuller
knowledge of God's word.
The American public school teacher has trodden
closely on the heels of the departing army. When
has the world had put before it such an object lesson
of kindly purpose in a victorious power? The call
for i,ooo of these American public school teachers
is already under way of fulfillment, thus placing
some of our own best trained educators in the cities
of these islands.
That the Filipino needs teaching more than shooting is being rapidly proven, for these public school
teachers are a more convincing proposition to the Filipino than any proclamation or assurance that American sovereignty is the best thing that ever came to
their islands. They were never so cared for in the
past. The English language is rapidly becoming
their pride. They seize every opportunity to study
it and use it in conversation, and while our Government decided to retain the Spanish language for
five years as the language of governmental instru




IN THE PHILIPPINES


II9


ments, there is little doubt but that in that time great
numbers of the Filipinos will have thoroughly mastered the English and be as much rejoiced as ourselves to replace Spanish by English in all governmental papers.
While the United States Government, as such, has
no direct influence in the forming of the people into
a national church, yet the presence of our flag promoted such liberty of action that the Filipinos themselves have been able to unite with our missionaries
of Protestant Evangelical Christianity and have
formed the nucleus of an Evangelical Church.
A large proportion of the Filipino people have left
the church of their fathers, but it was still their desire to worship God. They had never known but one
form of worship. Denominational differences they
could not comprehend. Our Protestant missionaries
realized that a comprehensive and simple creed was
a necessity to bind these Filipino Christians into one
church. God planned the time and place for the
forming of this infant Filipino Evangelical Church,
without any preconcerted efforts of men. The missionaries who were needed to represent seven different religious organizations were in Manila, and easily drawn together in conference in April, g190. In
that conference, the power of the Holy Spirit was so
markedly present that all felt that there was but one





120    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
possible outcome to the discussions, and that a
"union." All felt that it was not Church, but Christ,
they had come to serve.
The organizations represented in that conference
were Presbyterian, Methodist, United Brethren,
Christian Alliance, the American Bible Society, the
Baptist, the British and Foreign Bible Society and
the Y. M. C. A. Denominational differences were
not mentioned. The Evangelical Union of the Philippine Islands was organized, and embraces all the
denominations mentioned.
This is without doubt the most important and progressive missionary movement of the age. Its value
cannot be overstated. While each missionary society,
naturally, still has its separate organization, dependent on a different source for support, and each society
also has its own polity, yet the body, as a whole, is
one in name and unity of purpose. "La Iglesia
Evangelica" represents all evangelical efforts to
bring the Filipino people to Christ.
The Evangelical Union, thus formed, meets once a
year. All Christians, both native and foreign, are
to freely confer together in all matters of vital importance to the Union, and will deal with all questions relating to mission schools and colleges, mission printing presses and publications, with paid or
unpaid helpers, uniform hymn books, and all matters





RE.LoNp.DAISN
ICAh~P~










IN THE PHILIPPINES


121


that are of interest to the Christian Church. Thus
has God most wonderfully cemented the Christian
missions of the Philippine Islands, with one purpose,
one name, under one great head. "To Him be the
honor and glory."
Through the earnest efforts of Rev. Leonard P.
Davidson, who was suddenly called away from the
work he loved so well, were the Filipino Christian
Endeavor Societies formed. These young Filipino
Christians had never before attended a religious
service, in which they were expected to take a part.
Their interest is most intense and the results are
their rapid development in the Christian life.
Perhaps nowhere else in the world has the Christian Endeavor movement accomplished such decided
results in a short time as it did among the Filipino
Christians in the early part of the year 1901.
Their leader, Mr. Leonard P. Davidson, was in
himself an inspiration. A perfect Apollo in physique, no one thought he could die from overwork.
Some time before it was considered safe for civilians to go into the interior provinces, Mr. Davidson was impressed that he must go at the urgent
call of some Filipinos who came to Manila to urge
him to come to their inland town and open an
Evangelical Church. This was in December, 1900.
The whole Island of Luzon was still under mili




122    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
tary control, and many insurrecto bands were still
lying in ambush ready to attack unprotected travelers. It was therefore considered unwise for him
to go into the interior unattended.
The army officials objected to his attempting a
journey across open country. Their prohibition
was overcome, however, by Mr. Davidson's earnest
entreaty and brave bearing. The officials provided
a military escort, which conveyed him across the
twenty miles known to be infested by ladrones
as well as insurrectos.
That visit was a most productive venture, and
proved the initial step toward the building of a
native church that has since provided many most
efficient Filipino Christian workers who are, at their
own charges, acting in place of imported missionaries.
One needed only to look into the face of our
Brother Davidson to know that he had been with
Jesus, who was the secret source of his magnetic
power.
With "Senor Leonardo" (as the Filipinos lovingly styled him) as their leader, it seemed as if
the whole native church was to rapidly become
Christian Endeavorers, and be able to express to
their fellow-countrymen the newly found joy of
Jesus as a personal Savior and practical power in
their lives.





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IN THE PHILIPPINES


123


Perhaps "Senor Leonardo's" being caught away
to the actual presence of Jesus has insensibly lifted
all eyes upward more than his bodily presence could
ever have done. He is, without doubt, just as radiantly happy in the boundless sphere he has been
promoted to fill as when his eager spirit led him
to work from early morn to the small hours of the
tropical night-that he might take upon himself
the service there was no one else to assume.
It was a dream of his life that some day there
might be a national Christian Endeavor rallying
place built in Manila for the whole archipelago,
where the Christians from all the provinces of every
mission might come for Bible study-a place where,
in miniature, a Moody's Bible Institute for Filipinos might be stationed.
How fitting would be such a memorial to that
life that was laid down for the building of a foundation in Christ Jesus of the Filipino Evangelical
Church!
Let the Christian Endeavorers of our great country take it to heart, that the remembrance of that
beautiful young life may be a perpetual influence
to lift the Filipino Church God-ward.
Surely nothing could be more convincing of the
true sympathy of Americans toward our Filipino
friends than that such a building should be reared





124    OLD GLORY AND THE GOSPEL
in the metropolis, where for purposes of business
and pleasure travelers from every part of the archipelago so frequently resort.
Traveling has not, in the past, been possible; but
already the more prosperous conditions are being
felt, and the Filipino is to become a truly cosmopolitan personage, who will sail to Manila frequently
on his business and pleasure trips.
What could be more fitting than that he should
find a Filipino Christian Endeavor headquarters,
bristling with new ideas, and so inspire the traveler
that he shall carry to his distant island many useful
plans for the future of the newly founded Evangelical Church?
With better sanitation and medical skill the Filipino people will rapidly increase in numbers. With
advanced education they will surprise the world with
their material progress, even as much as the Japanese
have done. With characteristic, warm-hearted enthusiasm, the prosperous Filipino will never disappoint us in his want of appreciative gratitude. God
grant that we may be true to President Roosevelt's
forecast of their future. "We are not trying to subjugate a people; we are trying to develop them, and
make them a law-abiding, industrious and educated
people; with God's help we hope a truly Christian
and self-governing people."










THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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